Reactualizing Classical Sufi Wisdom: An Ethnographic Study of the Collective Study of Al-Hikam in Weekly Mosque Ḥalaqah Circles

Abstract

This article examines the contemporary relevance of a collective study of Ibn Athaillah as-Sakandari's Al-Hikam within a mosque-based weekly prayer circle. The aim is to analyze how classical Sufi maxims are re-enacted in lived religious practices and how this engagement shapes the participants' spiritual awareness, ethical orientation, and communal life. This study employed qualitative methods with an ethnographic approach and was conducted at the Jami' Nurus Syifa Mosque. Data were generated through prolonged participant observation, in-depth interviews, and textual-discursive analysis within a recurring prayer environment. The findings demonstrate a multidimensional impact. Psychospiritually, this study fosters inner resilience, emotional regulation, and a deeper awareness of dependence on God. Ethically and socially, this study fosters humility, responsibility, moral discipline, and stronger communal solidarity. Epistemologically, this study strengthens the transmission of Islamic scholarly tradition through dialogical engagement with classical turāth texts. Moreover, halaqah makes a significant contribution to the formation of spiritually grounded character and leadership, demonstrating the enduring relevance and transformative capacity of classical Sufi wisdom in the contemporary Muslim context.