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Sufism (Arabic: تصوّف‎ - taṣawwuf, Kurdish Sufayeti,Persian: صوفی‌گری, sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf), is generally understood by scholars to be the inner or mystical dimension of Islam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Aqidah (sometimes spelled Aqeeda, Aqidah or Aqida) (عقيدة is an Islamic term meaning Creed. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' In Islam, God is believed to be the only real supreme being all-powerful and all knowing Creator Sustainer Ordainer and Judge of the universe Islam puts a heavy emphasis IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Muslims regard as Prophets of Islam ( Arabic: نبي) those non-divine humans chosen by Allah as Prophets The Five Pillars of Islam (Arabic أركان الإسلام is the term given to the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. The Shahada ( Arabic: ar الشهادة, from the verb ar شهد "to testify" is the Islamic Creed. Ṣalāt ( Arabic: صلاة‎, pl ṣalawāt, Qur'anic Arabic: صلوة ṣalawah) (also munz in Pashto and Sawm ( Arabic: صوم is an Arabic word for Fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. This is a sub-article of Islamic economical jurisprudence. Zakaat ( زكاة zækæːh zakaat or zakāh, has the implied The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world Muslim history began in Arabia with the Muhammad 's first recitations of the Qur'an in the 7th century Caliph Caliph is the term or title for the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or community of Islam There is much more to Muslim history than its military and political aspects this particular chronology is almost entirely of military and political nature See also Muhammad's wives Ahl al-Bayt ( Arabic:ar أهل البيت is an Arabic phrase literally meaning People of the House, or family In Islam, the Ṣaḥābah (الصحابة "Companions" were the companions of the Islamic prophet Muḥammad. The Rightly Guided Caliphs or The Righteous Caliphs ( ar الخلفاء الراشدون) is a term used in Sunni Islam to refer to the first Imāmah (إمامة is the Shī‘ah doctrine of religious spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. Qur'an Text Surahs ** Ayah Commentary/Exegesis Tafsir Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Sunnah ar (سنة plural سنن Sunan literally means “trodden path” and therefore the sunnah of the prophet means “the way and the manners of the prophet” Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic Fiqh ( Arabic: فقه, fɪqəh is Islamic Jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the Sharia Islamic law—based directly on the Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. Kalām (علم الكلام is the Islamic philosophy of seeking Islamic theological principles through Dialectic. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Muslim Culture is a term primarily used in Secular Academia to describe all cultural practices common to historically Islamic peoples The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings This is a sub-article to Religious education, Academic discipline, and Islam. This article is about Animals in Islamic thought The Qur'an assigns an inferior status to animals in comparison with humans and has a tendency towards Islamic art encompasses the arts produced from the 7th century onwards by people (not necessarily Muslim) who lived within the territory that was inhabited by culturally The Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar ( Arabic: التقويم الهجري at-taqwīm al-hijrī; Persian: تقویم هجری قمری ‎ The topic of Islam and children includes the rights of children in Islam children's duties towards their parents and parent's rights over their children both males and females Listing of Muslims by country Important note Population counts by religious affiliation like most demographic characteristics of a Population Muslim holidays are mostly based around the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, especially the events surrounding the first hearing of the Qur'an. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger Islamic philosophy is a branch of Islamic studies, and is a longstanding attempt to create harmony between Philosophy ( Reason) and the religious teachings See also Modern Islamic philosophy, Islamism, Islamic terrorism Political aspects of Islam are derived from the Quran, the Sunna Over the centuries of Islamic history, Muslim rulers Islamic scholars, and ordinary Muslims have held many different attitudes towards other religions The historical interaction between Christianity and Islam, in the field of Comparative religion, connects fundamental ideas in Christianity with similar ones in Islam Hinduism and Islam, from the of arrival of the Arabs as far back as the eighth century AD has had a checkered history Islam and Jainism came in close contact with each other following the Islamic conquest from Central Asia and Persia in the seventh The historical interaction of Judaism and Islam started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian peninsula. In Islam, Muhammad is the last and final Prophet of God Islam views Jews Christians and Muslims as " People of the Book Arguments critical to religion in general or specific to monotheism such as the Existence of God, are not dealt with here Islamophobia is a Neologism that refers to Prejudice or Discrimination against Islam or Muslims The term itself dates back to the The following list consists of Concepts that are derived from both Islamic and Arab tradition which are expressed as words in the Arabic language. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. ^[1] A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a Sūfī (Arabic: صُوفِيّ‎), though some senior members of the tradition reserve this term for those practitioners who have attained the goals of the Sufi tradition. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Another common denomination is the word Dervish (derived from Persian: درویش - darwīš). Darvesh or Dervish ( Arabic and Persian: درویش) as it is known in European languages refers to members of Sufi

Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq, a 15th century Shadhili Sufi master, wrote in his major work "The Principles of Sufism" (Qawa`id al-Tasawwuf) that:^[2]

“

[Sufism is] a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God. Ahmed Zarruq or Sheikh Shihab al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmed b Ahmed b Muhammad b Isa al-Barnusi al-Fasi Zarruq (1442 &ndash 1493 was a Shadhili Sufi The Tariqa ash Shadhiliyya is a Sufi order founded by Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili.

”

Shaykh Ahmad ibn Ajiba, a famous Moroccan Sufi in the Darqawi lineage, defined Sufism as:

“

a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits. Ahmad ibn 'Ajiba (1747 - 1809 was an 18th-century Moroccan saint in the Darqawa Sufi Islamic lineage The Darqawiyya or Darqawa Sufi order was a revivalist branch of the Shadhiliyah brotherhood

”

Sufi Orders or Sufi Brotherhoods are traditionally known as Tariqa. Tariqah ( ar طريقه; pl طرق; Ṭuruq or Persian: Tarighat, Turkish: Tarikat) means "way" They may be associated with Sunni Islam or Shia Islam, though the major ones, such as the Qādirī and Naqšhbandī orders, are associated with traditional Sunni Islam and are accepted by the majority of 'folk Muslims'. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Qadiriyyah ( Arabic: القادريه, Turkish: Kadirilik) (also Transliterated Kadri, Elkadry, Kadray Naqshbandi ( Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders ( Tariqa) of Islam. ^[3]

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Basic beliefs 3 History of Sufism 3.1 Origins 3.2 The Great Masters of Sufism 3.3 Formalization of Philosophies of Sufism 3.4 Propagation of Sufism 3.5 Sufism's Role in the Expansion of Islam 3.6 Modern Sufism 4 Influences 5 Sufi Concepts 5.1 The Six Subtleties 5.2 Sufi Cosmology 6 Sufi Practices 6.1 Dhikr 6.2 Hadhra 6.3 Qawwali 6.4 Sama 6.5 Khalwa 7 Sufi Poetry 8 Orders of Sufism 8.1 Traditional Orders 8.2 Non-Traditional Sufi Groups 8.2.1 Universal Sufism 9 Traditional Islamic Schools of Thought and Sufism 10 Controversy and Criticism of Sufism 10.1 Classic Position on Sufism 10.2 Criticism of Sufism 10.2.1 Iran 11 Islamic Positions on Non-Islamic Sufi Groups 12 Other Resources 13 See also 14 References 15 Additional Reading 16 External links

Etymology

The conventional view is that the word originates from Arabic: صوف‎ (sūf), the Arabic word for wool, referring to the simple cloaks the early Muslim ascetics wore. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species ^[4] However, not all sufis wear cloaks or clothes of wool. Another etymological theory states that the root word of Sūfi is the Arabic word صفا (safā), meaning purity. This places the emphasis of Sufism on purity of heart and soul.

Others suggest the origin of sufism is from Ašhab as-Sufā ("Companions of the Porch") or Ahl as-Sufā ("People of the Porch"), who were a group of Muslims during the time of the Prophet Mohammad who spent much of their time on the veranda of the Prophet's mosque, devoted to prayer. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Yet another etymology, advanced by the 10th century Persian historian Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī is that the word, as sūfīya, is linked with the word sophia, the Greek term for wisdom. layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly

Basic beliefs

While all Muslims believe that they are on the pathway to God and will become close to God in Paradise — after death and after the "Final Judgment" — Sufis believe as well that it is possible to become close to God and to experience this closeness while one is alive. ^[5] The chief aim of all Sufis then is to let go of all notions of duality, including a conception of an individual self, and to realize the Divine unity. Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". Self is broadly defined as the essential qualities that make a person distinct from all others

Sufis generally teach in personal groups, as the counsel of the master is considered necessary for the growth of the pupil. They make extensive use of parable, allegory, and metaphor, and it is held by Sufis that meaning can only be reached through a process of seeking the truth, and knowledge of oneself. A parable is a brief succinct story in Prose or verse, that illustrates a Moral or Religious lesson An allegory (from αλλος allos "other" and el αγορευειν agoreuein "to speak in public" is a figurative mode of representation Metaphor (from the Greek: μεταφορά - metaphora, meaning "transfer" is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects Although philosophies vary among different Sufi orders, Sufism as a whole is primarily concerned with direct personal experience, and as such may be compared to various forms of mysticism such as Bhakti form of Hinduism, Hesychasm, Zen Buddhism, Kabbalah, Gnosticism and Christian mysticism. Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hesychasm ( Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, "stillness rest quiet silence" is an Eremitic tradition of Prayer in Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Christian Mysticism is traditionally practised through the disciplines of Prayer (including oratio meditation and Contemplation

A significant part of oriental literature comes from the Sufis, who created books of poetry containing the teachings of the Sufis. Some of the more notable examples of this poetry are Attar's Conference of the Birds and Rumi's Masnavi. This article is about the Masnavi-i Ma'navi of Rumi for the masnavi poetic form see Masnavi (poetic form.

History of Sufism

Main article: History of Sufism

Origins

Sufism is generally believed to have originated among Muslims near Basra in modern Iraq, though there is a history of Sufism in Transoxania dating from shortly after the time of Muhammad. Sufism is generally believed to have originated among Muslims near Basra in modern Iraq though there is a history of Sufism in Transoxania dating from shortly after the time of Muhammad Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra Transoxiana (sometimes spelled Transoxania "河中“Chinese / Ma Wara'un-Nahr ( Arabic: ما وراء النهر / Farārood (فرارود IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics ^[6] From the traditional Sufi point of view, the esoteric teachings of Sufism were transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad, who was taught by God, to those who had the capacity to contain the direct experiential gnosis of God, which was passed on from teacher to student through the centuries. Gnosis (from one of the Greek words for Knowledge, γνώσις is the spiritual knowledge of a Saint or mystically enlightened human being Almost all traditional Sufi schools (or "orders") trace their "chains of transmission" back to Prophet Muhammad via his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH The Naqshbandi order is a notable exception to this rule, as it traces its origin to the first Islamic Caliph Abdullah (Abu Bakr). Naqshbandi ( Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders ( Tariqa) of Islam. Early life Abu Bakr was born at Mecca some time in the year 573 CE, in the Banu Taym branch of the Quraysh tribe

Some orientalist scholars believe that Sufism was essentially the result of Islam evolving in a more mystic direction. Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures languages peoples history and archaeology in recent For example, Annemarie Schimmel proposes that Sufism in its early stages of development meant nothing but the interiorization of Islam. Annemarie Schimmel, SI, HI, ( April 7, 1922 &ndash January 26, 2003) was a well known and very influential German According to Louis Massignon: "It is from the Qur’an, constantly recited, meditated, and experienced, that Sufism proceeded, in its origin and its development. Life Louis Massignon was born in Nogent-sur-Marne, Val-de-Marne near Paris. "^[7]

The Great Masters of Sufism

The Sufis dispersed throughout the Middle East, particularly in areas previously under Byzantine influence and control. This period was characterized by the practice of an apprentice (murid) placing himself under the spiritual direction of a Master (shaykh, pir or murshid). Murid ( مريد) is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' It refers to a person who is committed to a teacher in the spiritual path of Sufism Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh Pir ( Persian: (پیر literally "old " is a title for a Sufi master Pir ( Persian: (پیر literally "old " is a title for a Sufi master

Schools were developed, concerning themselves with topics of mystical experience, education of the heart to purify it of baser instincts, the love of God, and approaching God through progressive stages (maqaam) and states (haal). Maqaam ( the station) is one's spiritual station or developmental level as distinct from one's hal or state of consciousness Haal (Literally "state" or "condition" plural ahwal) is a special-purpose temporary state of Consciousness, generally a product The schools were championed by reformers who felt their core values and manners were threatened, as the material prosperity of society seemed to them to be eroding the spiritual life. Uwais al-Qarni, Harrm bin Hian, Hasan al-Basri and Sayid ibn al-Mussib are regarded as the first mystics among the "Taabi'een" in Islam. Uwais al-Qarni or "Oways b Anis al-Qarni" "Oveys Gharani" or "Veysel Karani"( Arabic: أويس بن انيس القرني (died 657 TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> al-Hasan al-Basri (الحسن البصري (Abu Sa'id al-Hasan ibn Abi-l-Hasan Yasar Rabia al-Basri was a female Sufi and known for her love and passion for God. Rābiʻa al-ʻAdawiyya al-Qaysiyya ( Arabic: رابعة العدوية القيسية or simply Rabiʿa al-Basri (717–801 C Junayd al-Baghdadi was among the first theorists of Sufism; he concerned himself with fanā and baqā, the state of annihilating the self in the presence of the divine, accompanied by clarity concerning worldly phenomena derived from the altitude of that perspective. Junayd ibn Muhammad Abu al-Qasim al-Khazzaz al-Baghdadi (830-910 AD was one of the great early mystics or Sufis, of Islam. Baqaa, with literal meaning of permanency is a term in Sufi philosophy which describes a particular state of life with God through God in God and for God World is a key concept in Theology. Christian views on the World In Christianity, the concept connotes the fallen and corrupt world

Mevlânâ Celaleddin-i-Rumi (Jalāl-e-Dīn Rūmī, Balkh, 30 September 1207 - Waksh , 17 December 1273 - Konya) is known as Rumi in the West. He was a universal mystic and a devout Muslim. His way of sufism teaches unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, goodness, charity and awareness through love. The Mevlevi order was formalized and propagated by his son Sultan Walad and the scribe of the Mathnawi, Husamaddin Chalabi. Baha al-Din Muhammad-i Walad ( more popularly known as Sultan Walad ( was the eldest son of Jalal Al-Din Rumi Persian poet and Sufi and one of the founders of the Mawlawiyaa (order This article is about the Masnavi-i Ma'navi of Rumi for the masnavi poetic form see Masnavi (poetic form. ^[8]

"So long as my life persists, I'm the servant of the Qur'an"

"A dust on the path of Muhammad, the Chosen,"

"If one conveys contrary to my words,"

"Disgusted I am from the conveyor and from the conveyed. "^[9]

It has been suggested that Sufism was later influenced by Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist culture when Islam was introduced in South Asia. ^[10]

The Chishti order was founded by Abu Ishaq al-Shami ("the Syrian") who brought Sufism to the town of Chisht, now Afghanistan. The Chishti Order ( - Češtī) is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat The Chishti Order was first introduced in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1143-1223 AD) and is the oldest known order. This article is about the founder of Sufism in India For the preceptor of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, see Moinuddin Chishty (Khuldabad. ^[11]

The dates of the founding of the orders are as follows:

• Chishti Order (India and Pakistan) (1143-1223 AD),
• Suhrawardi Order (India and Pakistan) (1234-1335 AD), Iraq (13th century) ^[12]
• Mevlevi Order (Turkey) (1273),
• Qadriya Order (Iraq) (1430-1517 AD), ^[12]
• Naqshbandi Order (Afghanistan) (d. The Chishti Order ( - Češtī) is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Suhrawardiyya ( Arabic: سهروردية) is the name of a Sufi order founded by Iranian Sufi Diya al-din Abu 'n-Najib as-Suhrawardi ( 1097 – India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Mevlevi Order or the Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Qadiriyyah ( Arabic: القادريه, Turkish: Kadirilik) (also Transliterated Kadri, Elkadry, Kadray For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Naqshbandi ( Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders ( Tariqa) of Islam. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, 1642 AD),
• Nimatullahi Order (Iran) (at the end of the 14th century AD),
• Rifa'iyya Order (Iraq) (12th century) ^[12]
• Shadhiliyya Order (Egypt)(15th century) ^[12]
• Shattari Order (India and Pakistan) (d. The Nimatullahi order (also spelled "Nimatollahi" or "Nematollahi" is a Sufi Order or Tariqa originating in Iran For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Rifa'i (also Rufa'i) are a Sufi order most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey and the Balkans. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The Tariqa ash Shadhiliyya is a Sufi order founded by Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Shattari ( Arabic: شطاری) is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in South Asia in fifteenth century India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and 1485 AD)
• Bektashi Order (Turkey and Balkans) (13th century AD)
• Tijaniyyah Order (Morocco) (1739-present)

Formalization of Philosophies of Sufism

Al Ghazali's treatises, the "Reconstruction of Religious Sciences" and the "Alchemy of Happiness," argued that Sufism originated from the Qur'an and was thus compatible with mainstream Islamic thought and theology. Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The Tijāniyyah ( Arabic: الطريقة التجانية, Transliterated: Al-Ṭarīqah al-Tijāniyyah, or "The Tijānī Path" is Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (1058-1111 ( ابو حامد محمد ابن محمد الغزالی or امام محمد غزالی was born and died It was around 1000 CE that early Sufi literature, in the form of manuals, treatises, discourses and poetry, became the source of Sufi thinking and meditations.

Propagation of Sufism

Sufism, during 1200-1500 CE, experienced an era of increased activity in various parts of the Islamic world. Data Durbar is the tomb of Hazrat Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri, the famous Sufi saint of Iran, where hundreds of thousands of people come Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Abul Hassan Ali Ibn Usman al-Jullabi al-Hajvery al-Ghaznawi or Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery (علی بن عثمان الجلابی الهجویری الغزنوی (sometimes This period is considered as the "Classical Period" or the "Golden Age" of Sufism. Lodges and hospices soon became not only places to house Sufi students, but also places for practicing Sufis and other mystics to stay and retreat. Hostels provide budget-oriented accommodation where guests can rent a bed, sometimes a Bunk bed in a Dormitory and share a bathroom

Professor Victor Danner, in his book "The Islamic Tradition," writes that:^[13]

“

Sufism has influenced the spiritual life of the religion to an extraordinary degree; there is no important domain in the civilization of Islam that has remained unaffected by it.

”

The propagation of Sufism started in Baghdad, and spread to Persia, India, North Africa, and Spain. Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. There were tests of conciliation between Sufism and other Islamic sciences (Sharia, Fiqh, etc. ), as well as the beginning of the Sufi Brotherhoods (Turuq).

One of the first orders to originate was the Yasawi order, named after Khwajah Ahmed Yesevi in modern Kazakhstan. Khwaja Ahmad Yasavi (Xoja Ahmad Yassivi also spelled Khoja Ahmad Yasawi, Ahmet Yasevi, Ahmed Yesevi or Ata Yesevi) born in Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the The Kubrawiya order, originating in Central Asia, was named after Najmeddin Kubra, known as the "Saint-producing Shaykh," because a number of his disciples became Shaykhs. The Kubrawiya order is a Sufi order (" Tariqa " named after its 13th century founder Najmeddin Kubra. ^[14] The most prominent Sufi master of this era is Abdul Qadir Jilani, the founder of the Qadiriyyah order in Iraq. Shaikh Sayyid 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani ( Persian / Urdu: عبد القادرگیلانی) (also spelled Abdelkader Abdul Qadir Abdul Khadir - Jilani Jeelani Jilali Qadiriyyah ( Arabic: القادريه, Turkish: Kadirilik) (also Transliterated Kadri, Elkadry, Kadray Others included Rumi, founder of the Mevlevi order in Konya, modern day Turkey, Sahabuddin Suharwardi in Iran, Moinuddin Chishti and Makhdoom Ashraf in India. The Mevlevi Order or the Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian Konya ( قونیه; also Koniah, Konieh, Konia, and Qunia; historically also known as Iconium ( Latin Shahab al-Din Yahya as-Suhrawardi ( Persian شهاب الدين يحيى سهروردى, also known as Sohrevardi) was a Persian philosopher Sufi This article is about the founder of Sufism in India For the preceptor of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, see Moinuddin Chishty (Khuldabad.

Mujaddid Alf Sani, a 17th century reformer of the Naqshbandi order, is also a seminal personality in the propagation of Sufism, as he began a movement that aimed to purify Islam of pantheist influence by returning to its basic sources (Quran and Sunna), while maintaining the integrity of its spiritual dimension. Imam-e-Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Sani Shaykh Ahmad al-Farooqi Sirhindi (~1564&ndash1624 commonly renowned as Mujaddid Alf Sani was an Indian Islamic scholar Naqshbandi ( Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders ( Tariqa) of Islam. Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All

Sufism's Role in the Expansion of Islam

Sufism is flexible in terms of religious materiality. ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Katwijk (population 61292 is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands This characteristic of Sufism attracted the nomadic people of mid-western Asia (mainly the current Iranic and Turkic republics of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan). Sufism also spread quickly among the Anatolian and Azerbaijani Turkmen and among the Balkan peoples of modern Albania, Bosnia, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black

The mystics of Khorasan, like Ahmad Yasavi and Hajji Bektash Wali, were influential in the spread of Sufi Islam first in Asia Minor and then in Eastern Europe as the Seljuk and Ottoman Turks extended their empires. Hajji Bektash Wali ( Ḥājī Baktāš Wālī; Turkish: Hacı Bektaş Veli) was a Persian Seljuk ( Arabic: السلاجقة Turkish: Selçuk; also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq) was the eponymous hero of the Seljuks The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish

Modern Sufism

One of the first Western Sufis to return to Europe as an official representative of a Sufi path, and with the specific purpose to spread Sufism in Western Europe, was the Swedish-born wandering Sufi Abd al-Hadi Aqhili (1869-1917). "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Ivan Aguéli (born John Gustaf Agelii) ( May 24, 1869 - October 1, 1917) also named Sheikh 'Abd al-Hadi Aqhili ( شيخ

During the 20th Century, as the ottoman caliphate was abolished, the Muslim world fragmented and experienced major upheavals Sufis gave birth to political movements; Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood was from a Sufi background, as was Taqiuddin Nabhani founder of Hizb ut-Tahrir; taught by his great Sufi grandfather Yusuf Nabhani. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history Hassan al-Banna ( October 14, 1906 – February 12, 1949, Arabic:حسن البنا was an Egyptian social and The Muslim Brothers ( Arabic: الإخوان المسلمون al-ikhwān al-muslimūn, full title The Society of the Muslim Brothers, often simply الإخوان Hizb ut-Tahrir (حزب التحرير Party of Liberation is an international Pan-Islamist, Sunni, vanguard political party whose goal is to combine all Muslim Important Sufis alive today include Nader Angha, Nazim al-Qubrusi, Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Hamza Yusuf, Gohar Shahi, Tahir-ul-Qadri and Muzaffer Ozak. Mehmet Nâzım Adil ( Arabic: الشيخ ناظم القبرصي also known as Sultan-al Awliya Shaykh Mawlana as-Sayyid Khwaja Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani al-Rabbani Nuh Ha Mim Keller (born 1954 is an American Muslim translator of Islamic books and a specialist in Islamic Law as well as an authorised Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson is an Islamic scholar who teaches at the Zaytuna Institute in California, U Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi ( Urdu: ریاض احمد گوھر شاہی) (&lrm 25 November, 1941 – 25 November, 2001 Dr Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri ( Urdu: محمد طاہر القادری) (also known as Quaid-e-Inqalab Quaid-e-Muhterum Shaykh ul Islam and Qibla Hazoor (born Muzaffer Ozak ( 1916 - February 12, 1985) was one of the head Sheikhs ' of the Halveti - Jerrahi order of Dervishes These individuals have in some measure been responsible for the continued introduction and spread of the Sufi path in the modern West.

Sufism also is popular in such African countries as Senegal, where it is seen as a mystical expression of Islam in Senegal. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. ^[15] Mbacke suggests that one reason Sufism has taken hold in Senegal is because it can accommodate local beliefs and customs, which tend toward the mystical. Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity ^[16]

Influences

Some researchers find influences in Sufism from pre-Islamic and non-Islamic schools of mysticism and philosophy such as Neoplatonism. Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical Philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD founded by ^[17] Some of these perspectives originate from the synthesis of Persian civilization with Islam, an emphasis on spiritual aspects of Islam, and the incorporation of ideas and practices from other mysticisms into Islam. The same has been said of Buddhism and ancient Egyptian spiritual practices. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now However, most Muslim theologians disagree with this.

Sufi Concepts

Main article: Sufi philosophy

The Six Subtleties

Realities of The Heart:^[18] Drawing from Qur'anic verses, virtually all Sufis distinguish Lataif-e-Sitta (The Six Subtleties), Nafs, Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khafi & Akhfa. Sufi philosophy includes the schools of thought unique to Sufism, a mystical branch within Islam. Drawing from Qur'anic verses virtually all Sufis distinguish Lataif-as-Sitta ("the six subtleties" Nafs, Qalb, Sirr Ruh These lataif (singular : latifa) designate various psychospiritual "organs", or faculties of sensory perception.

Sufic development involves the awakening of these spiritual centers of perception that lie dormant in an individual. Each center is associated with a particular color and general area of the body, often with a particular prophet, and varies from order to order. The help of a guide is considered necessary to help activate these centers. After undergoing this process, the dervish is said to reach a certain type of "completion. "

The person gets acquainted with the lataif one by one by Muraqaba (Sufi meditation), Dhikr (Remembrance of God) and purification of one's psyche of negative thoughts, emotions, and actions. Muraqaba (Arabic مراقبة is the Sufi word for Meditation. Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr Loving God and one's fellow, irrespective of his or her race, religion or nationality, and without consideration for any possible reward, is the key to ascension according to Sufis.

These six "organs" or faculties: Nafs, Qalb, Ruh, Sirr, Khafi and Akhfa, and the purificative activities applied to them, contain the basic orthodox Sufi philosophy. The purification of the elementary passionate nature (Tazkiya-I-Nafs), followed by cleansing of the spiritual heart so that it may acquire a mirror-like purity of reflection (Tazkiya-I-Qalb) and become the receptacle of God's love (Ishq) and illumination of the spirit (Tajjali-I-Ruh). This process is fortified by emptying of egoic drives (Taqliyya-I-Sirr) and remembrance of God's attributes (Dhikr), and completion of journey by purification of the last two faculties, Khafi and Akhfa.

Sufi Cosmology

Main article: Sufi cosmology

Although there is no consensus with regard to Sufi cosmology, one can disentangle at least three different cosmographies: Ishraqi visionary universe as expounded by Suhrawardi Maqtul, Neoplatonic view of cosmos cherished by Islamic philosophers like Ibn Sina and Sufis like Ibn Arabi, and Hermetic-Ptolemaic spherical geocentric world. Sufi cosmology (الكوزمولوجية الصوفية is a general term for cosmological doctrines associated with the mysticism of Sufism. Sufi cosmology (الكوزمولوجية الصوفية is a general term for cosmological doctrines associated with the mysticism of Sufism. Shahab al-Din Yahya as-Suhrawardi ( Persian شهاب الدين يحيى سهروردى, also known as Sohrevardi) was a Persian philosopher Sufi Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical Philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD founded by TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> ( Persian /ابو علی الحسین ابن عبدالله ابن سینا (born TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Ibn Arabi (ابن عربي ( July 28, 1165 - November 10, 1240) was an All these doctrines (each one of them claiming to be impeccably orthodox) were freely mixed and juxtaposed, frequently with confusing results – a situation one also encounters in other esoteric doctrines.

One of the most thorough declarations of Sufi cosmology is found in the book God Speaks by Meher Baba. God Speaks The Theme of Creation and Its Purpose (ISBN 978-0-915828-02-9 is the principal book by Meher Baba and the most significant Religious text Meher Baba ( Devanāgarī: मेहेर बाबा) (February 25 1894 Merwan Sheriar Irani – January 31 1969 was an Indian mystic and spiritual

See also: Plane cosmology and Esoteric cosmology. In Metaphysics and Esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the Physical plane, is conceived as a subtle state of Consciousness that transcends Esoteric cosmology is Cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought

Sufi Practices

Dhikr

Main article: Dhikr

Dhikr is the remembrance of God commanded in the Qur'an for all Muslims. Khartoum ( الخرطوم al-Kharṭūm) is the Capital of Sudan and of Khartoum State. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion To engage in dhikr is to have awareness of God according to Islam. Dhikr as a devotional act includes the repetition of divine names, supplications and aphorisms from hadith literature, and sections of the Qur'an. Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic More generally, any activity in which the Muslim maintains awareness of God is considered dhikr.

The practice of Muraqaba and Dhikr have very close resemblance with the practices of the Jewish mystics. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Muraqaba is very similar to the Merkavah practice, which is one of the meditations used by Kabbalists to attain higher states of consciousness. For the series of Israeli main battle tanks see Merkava. The Hebrew word Merkabah (he מרכבה " Chariot " derived from the consonantal

Some Sufi orders engage in ritualized dhikr ceremonies, the liturgy of which may include recitation, singing, instrumental music, dance, costumes, incense, meditation, ecstasy, and trance. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions Recitation means a repetition of what has been said before It is used in a religious an oratorical and an educational sense Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. An instrumental is a Musical composition or recording without Lyrics or any other sort of Vocal music; all of the Music is produced by Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic The term costume can refer to Wardrobe and dress in general or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people class or period Incense is composed of Aromatic biotic materials It releases fragrant Smoke when burned Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness Religious ecstasy is an Altered state of consciousness characterized by greatly reduced external awareness and expanded interior mental and spiritual awareness which is frequently An altered state of consciousness, (ASC also named altered state of mind is any condition which is significantly different from a normal waking Beta wave state (Touma 1996, p. 162).

Hadhra

Main article: Hadhra

Hadhra is a form of dhikr practiced primarily in the Arab world. Hadra( Arabic: حضرة) is the term given to the collective supererogatory rituals performed by Sufi orders Hadra( Arabic: حضرة) is the term given to the collective supererogatory rituals performed by Sufi orders Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr The word Hadhra means Presence in Arabic.

Qawwali

Main article: Qawwali

Qawwali is a form of devotional Sufi music common in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afganistan, Iran and Turkey. Qawwali ( Urdu / Persian: قوٌالی; Punjabi / Multani: ਖ਼ਵ੍ਵਾਲੀ قوٌالی Brajbhasha / Hindi Qawwali ( Urdu / Persian: قوٌالی; Punjabi / Multani: ਖ਼ਵ੍ਵਾਲੀ قوٌالی Brajbhasha / Hindi Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches It is known for its secular strains. Some of its modern-day masters have included Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Sabri Brothers. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ( نصرت فتح على خاں, born October 13 1948, died August 16, 1997) was a Pakistani The Sabri Brothers ( Urdu: صابری برادران) are a Qawwali party from Pakistan. Amir Khusro, a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya, of the Chishti Order, is credited with inventing Qawwali in the 14th century. Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn al-Dīn Khusrow ( Hindi: hi अबुल हसन यमीनुद्दीन ख़ुसरो (1253-1325 CE better known as Amīr Khusrow Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Auliya ( 1238 - 3 April 1325) (حضرت خواجة نظام الدّین اولیا also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin was a famous The Chishti Order ( - Češtī) is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat

Sama

Main article: Sama

Sama or Sema' (Arabic "listening") refers to Sufi practices which can involve music and dance (see Sufi whirling). The practice of Sufi whirling (or Sufi spinning) ( Arabic: رقص سماع is a twirling Meditation that originated among Sufis which is still Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف The practice of Sufi whirling (or Sufi spinning) ( Arabic: رقص سماع is a twirling Meditation that originated among Sufis which is still In Uyghur culture, this includes a dance form also originally associated with Sufi ritual. The Uyghur (also spelled Uygur, Uighur, Uigur, Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. See Qawwali origins and Origin and History of the Qawwali, Adam Nayyar, Lok Virsa Research Centre, Islamabad, 1988. Qawwali ( Urdu / Persian: قوٌالی; Punjabi / Multani: ਖ਼ਵ੍ਵਾਲੀ قوٌالی Brajbhasha / Hindi |name = Islamabad|native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = Capital City |total_type

Khalwa

Main article: Khalwa

Khalwa refers to a form of retreat, once widespread but now less common. Khalwa ( Arabic, also khalwat; lit "solitude" pronounced in Iran, "khalvat" spelling in Turkish, halvet) in Khalwa ( Arabic, also khalwat; lit "solitude" pronounced in Iran, "khalvat" spelling in Turkish, halvet) in The term retreat has several related meanings all of which have in common the notion of safety or temporarily removing oneself from one's usual environment in order to become immersed A khalwa may be prescribed by the shaykh (spiritual advisor) of the murid or talib (student). Murid ( مريد) is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' It refers to a person who is committed to a teacher in the spiritual path of Sufism Muslims believe that most of the prophets, and also Maryam (Mary) the mother of Issa (Jesus), lived in some form of seclusion at some point in their life. Maryam or Mariam may refer to Maryam (name, (Arabic of Mary a female given name (includes a list of people with this name and the mother Etymology The Anglicized name of Jesus is derived from the Latin Iēsus, which in turn comes from the Greek (Iēsoûs Prophet Muhammad, for example, used to retreat to the cave on Mount Hira where he received his first revelation – but had been going there for many years prior to his meeting with the angel Gabriel. Hira (حراء) or the Cave of Hira (غار حراء) is a cave on the peak named Jabal an-Nūr in the Hejaz region of present Similar examples include Moses' going into seclusion for 40 days in a cave in Mt. Sinai. Mary was in seclusion in the Jewish temple for a year, where only Zakariya was permitted to see her. Zakariya ( Arabic: زكريا ( circa 100 BC - 20 AD the New Testament priest '''Zechariah''' or Zacharias is one of the prophets

Sufi Poetry

Sufism has produced a large body of poetry in Arabic, Persian, Punjabi, Sindhi, Turkish, Pashto and Urdu which notably includes the works of Sultan Bahu, Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, al-Hallaj, Ibn al-Farid, Hafiz, Jami, Ibn Arabi, Farid Ud-Din Attar, Abdul Qader Bedil, Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusro, Gohar Shahi,Yunus Emre, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast, Muhammad Iqbal as well as numerous traditions of devotional dance, such as Sufi whirling, and music, such as Qawwali. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Sultan Bahu (ca 1628 - 1691) was a Muslim Sufi and Saint, who founded the Sarwari Qadiri sufi order Mansur al-Hallaj ( Arabic: منصور الحلاج - Mansūr al-Hallāj - Mansūr-e Hallāj; full name Abū al-Mughīth Husayn Mansūr Ibn al-Farid or Ibn Farid; Arabic, عمر بن علي بن الفارض ( `Umar ibn `Alī ibn al-Fārid) (1181-1235 was an Arab poet Nur ad-Din Abd ar-Rahman Jami (نورالدین عبدالرحمن جامی ( August 18, 1414 &ndash November 19, 1492) was one of the greatest TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Ibn Arabi (ابن عربي ( July 28, 1165 - November 10, 1240) was an Abū Hamīd bin Abū Bakr Ibrāhīm (born 1145-46 in Nishapur &ndash died c Abul Ma'āni Mirzā Abdul-Qāder Bedil or Mawlānā Abul Ma'āni Abdul Qader Bedil also Bidel Dehlavi (1642&ndash1720 (مولانا ابوالمعانی عبدالقادر Bulleh Shah (1680 – 1757 ( Shahmukhi: Gurmukhi: ਬੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਸ਼ਾਹ}} whose real name was Abdullah Shah, was a Punjabi Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn al-Dīn Khusrow ( Hindi: hi अबुल हसन यमीनुद्दीन ख़ुसरो (1253-1325 CE better known as Amīr Khusrow Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi ( Urdu: ریاض احمد گوھر شاہی) (&lrm 25 November, 1941 – 25 November, 2001 Yunus Emre (1238?–1320? was a Turkish poet and Sufi mystic. Sachal Sarmast ( 1739 - 1829) ( Sindhi: سچلُ سرمستُ) ( Urdu: سچل سرمست) was a renowned Sindhi Sufi The practice of Sufi whirling (or Sufi spinning) ( Arabic: رقص سماع is a twirling Meditation that originated among Sufis which is still Qawwali ( Urdu / Persian: قوٌالی; Punjabi / Multani: ਖ਼ਵ੍ਵਾਲੀ قوٌالی Brajbhasha / Hindi

Orders of Sufism

Main article: Tariqa

Traditional Orders

The traditional Sufi orders emphasise the role of Sufism within Islam. Therefore, the Sharia (traditional Islamic law) and the Sunnah (customs of the Prophet) are seen as crucial for any Sufi aspirant. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. Sunnah ar (سنة plural سنن Sunan literally means “trodden path” and therefore the sunnah of the prophet means “the way and the manners of the prophet” Among the oldest and most well known of the Sufi orders are the Naqshbandi, Qadiri,Sarwariyya, Qadri Al-Muntahi, Chisti, Oveyssi, Shadhili,Jerrahi, Ashrafi, Bektashi, and Nimatullahi. Naqshbandi ( Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders ( Tariqa) of Islam. Qadiriyyah ( Arabic: القادريه, Turkish: Kadirilik) (also Transliterated Kadri, Elkadry, Kadray The Sarwari Qadiri Sufi Tariqa was originated by Sultan Bahu in the seventeenth century. The Chishti Order ( - Češtī) is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat The Tariqa ash Shadhiliyya is a Sufi order founded by Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili. The Jerrahi ( Turkish: Cerrahiyye, Cerrahilik) are a Sufi order ( Tarika) derived from the Halveti (Khalwati order Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam The Nimatullahi order (also spelled "Nimatollahi" or "Nematollahi" is a Sufi Order or Tariqa originating in Iran One proof traditional orders assert is that almost all the famous Sufi masters of the past Caliphates were also experts in Sharia and were renowned as people with great Iman (faith) and excellent practice. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history Many were also Qadis (Sharia law judges) in courts. They held that Sufism was never distinct from Islam and to fully comprehend and practice Sufism one must be a practicing Muslim obeying the Sharia.

For a longer list of Sufi orders see: Sufi orders.

Non-Traditional Sufi Groups

In recent decades there has been a growth of non-traditional Sufi movements in the West. Some examples are Universal Sufism movement, the Golden Sufi Center, the Sufi Foundation of America, the Blaketashi Darwishes, Universalist Sufis and Sufism Reoriented. Universal Sufism is a spiritual and Universalist movement founded by Hazrat Inayat Khan in the early 20th century Sufism Reoriented is an American school of spiritual training created in 1952.

Universal Sufism

Main article: Universal Sufism

Mainstream Sufism is seen by its scholars and supporters as a part of traditional Islam. Universal Sufism is a spiritual and Universalist movement founded by Hazrat Inayat Khan in the early 20th century However, there is a major line of non-Islamic or offshoot-Islamic Sufi thought that sees Sufism as predating Islam and being a universal philosophy, that is independent of the Qur'an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Universalism can be classified as a Religion, Theology and Philosophy that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the Divine and The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics This view of Sufism has been popular in the Western world. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings ^[19] Universal Sufism tends to be opposed by traditional Sufis, who argue that Sufism has always been practiced from within an Islamic framework and can never be separated from it. Inayat Khan founded Universal Sufism whilst also maintaining his lineage in Chisti Sufism. Hazrat Inayat Khan ( July 5, 1882 &ndash February 5, 1927) was the founder of Universal Sufism and the Sufi Order International Universal Sufism is a spiritual and Universalist movement founded by Hazrat Inayat Khan in the early 20th century The Chishti Order ( - Češtī) is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat It is fascinating to note that Khan's western lineage passed through his carefully chosen, Murshida Rabia Martin, and his western Order (America, Europe, and Australia) was respectfully given to Meher Baba which community ultimately became known as Sufism Reoriented. Meher Baba ( Devanāgarī: मेहेर बाबा) (February 25 1894 Merwan Sheriar Irani – January 31 1969 was an Indian mystic and spiritual Sufism Reoriented is an American school of spiritual training created in 1952. Idries Shah advocated similar concepts to those of Inayat Khan. Idries Abutahir Shah ( 16 June, 1924 &ndash 23 November, 1996) ( ادریس شاه) also known as Idris Shah, né Irina Tweedie and Abdullah Dougan also taught outside the Islamic context while maintaining the connection to their Naqshbandi heritage. Irina Tweedie (1907 Russia - August 1999 was a Teacher of the Naqshbandiyya- Mujadiddiya Sufi Order Sheikh Abdullah Isa Neil Dougan (1918 - 1987 was a Sufi Sheikh of the Naqshbandi order Naqshbandi ( Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders ( Tariqa) of Islam.

Traditional Islamic Schools of Thought and Sufism

Islam traditionally consists of a number of groups. The two main divisions are the Sunnis and the Shia. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Shia and Sunni Islam consist of a number of schools of legal jurisprudence (called Madhabs). Madhhab or Mazhab ( Arabic مذهب mæðhæb pl مذاهب mæðæːhıb) is an Islamic school of thought, or Majority of Sunni muslim scholars today follow one or more of the four major madhabs viz Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki and Hanbali. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Madhhab or Mazhab ( Arabic مذهب mæðhæb pl مذاهب mæðæːhıb) is an Islamic school of thought, or The Hanafi ( Arabic حنفي school is the oldest of the four schools of thought ( Madhhabs The Shāfi‘ī Madhab ( ar شافعي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh, or religious law within The Maliki Madhhab ( Arabic مالكي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam Hanbali ( حنبلى) is one of the four schools ( Madhhabs of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (the other three being Sufis do not define Sufism as a madhhab — what distinguishes a person as a Sufi is practicing Sufism, usually through association with a Sufi order. In this sense, traditional practitioners of Sufism don't see it as an exclusive group but just as a form of training necessary to cultivate spirituality and Ihsan in their lives. Ihsan (or Ehsan or Ahsan or احسان) is an Arabic term meaning "perfection" or "excellence" which is related to the word "goodness" Thus, sufis can be from shias or sunnis following any of the schools of jurisprudence.

W. Chittick explains the position of Sufism and Sufis this way:

In short, Muslim scholars who focused their energies on understanding the normative guidelines for the body came to be known as jurists, and those who held that the most important task was to train the mind in achieving correct understanding came to be divided into three main schools of thought: theology, philosophy, and Sufism. William C Chittick is a leading translator and interpreter of classical Islamic philosophical and mystical texts This leaves us with the third domain of human existence, the spirit. Most Muslims who devoted their major efforts to developing the spiritual dimensions of the human person came to be known as Sufis.

The relationship between traditional Islamic scholars and Sufism is complicated due to the variety of views held among them. Many traditional scholars, such as Al-Ghazali, helped its propagation while certain medieval scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyyah, opposed it as an innovation. Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (1058-1111 ( ابو حامد محمد ابن محمد الغزالی or امام محمد غزالی was born and died Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah ( January 22, 1263 &ndash 1328 was a Sunni Islamic scholar born in Harran, located

Controversy and Criticism of Sufism

Classic Position on Sufism

Sufism emphasises non quantifiable matters (like states of the heart). The authors of various Sufi treatises often used allegorical language which couldn't be read by an unknowledgeable person to describe these states (eg. likened some states to intoxication, which is forbidden in Islam). This usage of indirect language and the existence of interpretations by people who had no training in Islam or Sufism led to doubts being cast over the validity of Sufism as a part of Islam. Also, some groups emerged that considered themselves above the Sharia and discussed Sufism as a method of bypassing the rules of Islam in order to attain salvation directly. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. This was disapproved of by traditional scholars. An example of such a deviant sufi was Abu Hilman. ^[20] One of the most vocal critics of such deviations from the Islamic creed was Ibn Taymiya. Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah ( January 22, 1263 &ndash 1328 was a Sunni Islamic scholar born in Harran, located

Criticism of Sufism

1. Sufi masters have introduced many special prayers and devotional acts into their schools.
2. The allegorical and often abstruse language used by Sufis in their texts when interpreted by unqualified people opens avenues for many misunderstandings. As an example, some critics consider the concept of divine unity Wahdat-ul-wujood equivalent to pantheism and therefore incompatible with Islam. Major ideas in Sufi metaphysics have surrounded the concept of Wahdat or "Unity" Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All ^[21] Sufi masters in many of their introductory texts caution aspirants from reading and interpreting texts by themselves. They hold that the subject can only be taught by a master to a student under strict guidance and supervision owing to its delicate nature. ^[22] This discussion only scratches the surface of a very involved and subtle issue.

Iran

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sufism has been growing in popularity and has an estimated two to five million practitioners,^[23] but has sometimes found itself criticized by and generally at odds with the political and religious authorities there.

A 14 February issue of Kayhan newspaper quoted senior clerics in Qom as saying that Sufism should be eradicated in that holy city, while the Reuters news agency reported that in September one of Iran's hard-line clerics, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani, called for a clampdown on Sufis in the city. "Kayhan" ( Persian: کيهان means "cosmos" or "universe" in Persian. This article is primarily about Reuters prior to its 2008 merger with Thomson Grand Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani (born in 1926 is an Iranian Twelver Shi'a Marja. The governor of Qom, Abbas Mohtaj, has reportedly accused the dervishes of having links to foreign countries. ^[24] Others officials maintain that "contrary to the propaganda that the world spreads against" the Islamic Republic, "there is no kind of problem for" Sufis in Iran. ^[23]

Islamic Positions on Non-Islamic Sufi Groups

The use of the title Sufi by many groups to refer to themselves and their use of traditional Sufi masters (notably Jalaluddin Rumi) as sources of inspiration as well as the existence of interpretations of classical Sufis texts by people who have no grounding in traditional Islamic sciences has created a group of non-Islamic Sufis. These are considered by certain conventional Islamic scholars as beyond the pale of the religion^[25], however, Sufis often allow a higher degree of forbearance.

Other Resources

• 'Mediation of the Shaikh' by Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali
• Sufism in a Nutshell
• Dar-Sirr.com: Portal to Moroccan Sufism
• Adab (the Conditions and Etiquette) for Initiation into the Nimatullahi Sufi Path

See also

• List of Sufi orders
• Sulook
• Salik
• Khanqah
• List of Sufism related topics
• Keramat
• Sufi rock
• Sufi metaphysics

References

Additional Reading

• Al-Badawi, Mostafa. Sufi Sage of Arabia. Louisville: Fons Vitae, 2005.
• Ali-Shah, Omar, The Rules or Secrets of the Naqshbandi Order, Tractus Publishers, 1992, ISBN 978-2-909347-09-7.
• Arberry, A. J. . Mystical Poems of Rumi, Vols. 1&2. Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press, 1991.
• Austin, R. W. J. . Sufis of Andalusia, Gloustershire: Beshara Publications, 1988.
• Awakening of the Human Spirit, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
• Bewley, Aisha. The Darqawi Way. London: Diwan Press, 1981.
• Colby, Frederick. The Subtleties of the Ascension: Lata'if Al-Miraj: Early Mystical Sayings on Muhammad's Heavenly Journey. City: Fons Vitae, 2006.
• Ernst, Carl. The Shambhala Guide to Sufism. Boulder: Shambhala, 1997.
• Jean-Louis Michon. The Autobiography (Fahrasa) of a Moroccan Soufi: Ahmad Ibn `Ajiba (1747-1809). Louisville: Fons Vitae, 1999.
• Lewinsohn (ed. ), The Heritage of Sufism, Volume I: Classical Persian Sufism from its Origins to Rumi (700-1300).
• Nurbakhsh, Javad, What is Sufism? electronic text derived from The Path, Khaniqahi Nimatullahi Publications, London, 2003 ISBN 0-933546-70-X.
• Shah, Idries, The Sufis, (1971) ISBN 0-385-07966-4.
• Shah, Idries, The Way of the Sufi, (1991) ISBN 0-14-019252.

External links

• Sufism at the Open Directory Project
• Sheik Nazim's Sufism Portal
• Sufism Madani
• Sufism in a Nutshell
• Sufi Master Hadhrat Muhammad Sardar Ahmad Naqshbandi
• SufiSpot - Naqshbandi Inspired Blog
• Sufi Master Sheikh Nazim

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