Sufism

Sufism is a Muslim movement whose followers seek to find divine truth and love through direct encounters with God. Sufism arose from within Islam in the 8th-9th centuries CE as an ascetic movement. The movement may have been given (or taken on) the name Sufism because of the course wool garments they wore as a mark of their rejection of worldly things; Sufis have traditionally taken vows of poverty and celebacy. Sufism developed religious practices focusing on strict self-control that enable both psychological and mystical insights as well as a loss of self, with the ultimate goal of mystical union with God. The Sufi movement consists of fraternal orders in which leaders train and assist disciples in the mastery of Sufism's philosophical principles and ritual practices. Such rituals and practices include writing and reciting poetry and hymns; some of the most famous and beautiful literature of the Islamic world has been written by Sufis. Sufis engage in a variety of ritual practices intended to help them realize union with God, such as distinct forms of ritual prayer (dhikr, literally "remembrance"), including the recitation of God's names, as well as bodily rituals such as those practices by the so-called "Whirling Dervishes," a Turkish Sufi order that practices meditation and contemplation of God through spinning.

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Sufism is the mystical tradition of Islam, not a distinct branch. Sufism began to emerge in the 8th century C.E. in the Islamic ascetic movement.

While some scholars attribute the emergence of Sufism to Islam's contact with Buddhism and Christianity, the main influence on the movement is the Quran, and the esoteric tradition of Quranic interpretation.

Early proponents of Sufism include Hasan al-Basri (642-728), a renowned preacher and pious ascetic, and Rabiah al-Adawiyah (d. 801), one of the first great female Sufis whose beautiful prayers and poems helped transform Sufism to a tradition of mystical love.

Sufism belongs in the tradition of tawil, which accentuates the esoteric dimension, or hidden meanings, of the Quran. The experience of mystical union with God is sought in a number of verses that describe the immanence of God.

Recent scholarship on Sufism has shown great interest in the roles and identities of Sufi women, and in the literature, poetry, music, and speculative theology of the movement.

Sufism began as an ascetic movement in reaction to the materialism and wealth of the Umayyad caliphate (661-750 C.E.). By the late 8th century, the movement's focus had shifted from asceticism to altruistic love and intimate mystical union with God.

As Sufism took root and prominent religious authorities endorsed the movement, Sufi teachers began to attract large numbers of followers and settled into established communities, called orders, with shared ideas but distinct personalities.

During the colonial era, Sufi orders achieved several key military successes in resisting European dominance in Africa. Sufi orders also resisted Russian expansion in the Caucasus and central Asia, and had close ties to the Islamic Mughal and Ottoman Empires.

Sufism, teaching that people from all faiths can experience the divine presence, was remarkably effective in spreading Islam and in helping to create Islamic cultures in Africa and Asia.

Opposition from within the Muslim world took a toll on Sufism in the 20th century, when reformers criticized mysticism as superstition and Turkish reformer Atat��k banned Sufi orders in 1925. Sufism still flourishes, especially in Africa and South Asia.

The stories of God and the Prophet Muhammad recorded in the Quran and the hadith are sacred to Sufis, who refer to the Prophet as their Master from whom they derive their spirituality and devotional practice.

Sufi mystics focus on achieving a mystical union with God, described in the literature as "the Beloved." The Sufis emphasize God's unity, mercy, gentleness, and beauty, and often speak to God in familiar, intimate, and loving terms.

Sufi literature calls the event described in surah 7:172 the "Day of Alast," or the day God made a covenant with our souls. The goal of Muslim mystics is to recapture this moment of loving intimacy with God.

One of the most revered Sufi thinkers, Jalal al-Din Rumi, concluded that evil must exist for the fulfillment of God's plan. But much Sufi poetry simply focuses on the perplexing paradox of suffering.

Islam teaches that Muslims are on a path that will bring them close to God in paradise after undergoing a final judgment. Sufism adds the belief that it is possible to experience the divine presence in this life as well.

Sufism locates sacred time in the primordial past, in which God first established a covenant with human souls, and in eternity, which is divine and which Sufis seek to experience.

The tombs of saints, great scholars, and others revered for their righteousness are popular places for prayer, pilgrimage, and annual festivals, particularly in south Asia.

Ritual prayer, called dhikr, honors the Quran's command to remember God. Dhikr involves the repetition of God's name or phrases from the Quran that contain one of the names of God. Ritual singing or chanting to music is called sama.

Devotional practices vary widely, as they are typically part of a shaykh's prescription tailored to the unique needs of the disciple. The practices or paths, called tariqahs, typically include daily devotional exercises and meditative rituals.

Sufism has long and intricate traditions of symbolism, especially in its poetry and in its esoteric interpretations of the Quran, as well as in numbers, letters, and parts of the body.

Aspiring Sufis become disciples to a master, usually known as a shaykh, who provides instruction in humility, self-denial, and patience. The disciple follows the master's path until he or she experiences inner understanding of God and universal love.

Sufism is found in all parts of the Muslim world, attracting Sunnis and Shi���is, and men and women of all social classes. Some becomes disciples or join orders, while others remain laypeople but come for the prayers.

Sufism teaches that there is both an outer law, Islamic shariah, and an inner law, which consists of rules regarding repentance and maintaining a good and virtuous character.

Sufism is an inner tradition focused on prayers and individual character development, while sharing the wider Islamic vision of a just and peaceful society.

Sufism is generally more open to the leadership of women than orthodox Islam. There have been hundreds of female Sufi teachers, many Sufi saints and women, and some have had shrines built in their honor.