Neo-Sufism in Fazlur Rahman's Hermeneutical Thought

This article examines neo-Sufism in Fazlur Rahman’s hermeneutical thought and its relevance to contemporary Islamic spirituality. It addresses two related issues: puritan criticism that treats Sufism as inconsistent with sharia and the modern need for spirituality that supports ethical action. The study uses qualitative library research with a conceptual-hermeneutical approach. Its main sources are Rahman’s Islam, Major Themes of the Qur’an, and Islam and Modernity. It also draws on classical Sufi sources, reformist critiques of Sufism, and recent studies of urban Sufism. The findings show that neo-Sufism is not a separate form of mysticism. It is an ethical consequence of Rahman’s double movement method, which distinguishes permanent Qur’anic moral values from religious forms shaped by specific historical settings. Neo-Sufism therefore combines sharia, inner purification, moral agency, and social responsibility. This framework also offers a critical standard for assessing urban Sufism. The article extends Rahman’s hermeneutics beyond law and Qur’anic interpretation into contemporary Sufi spirituality and urban religious life.