Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word Sufi originally means one who wore wool, a simple garment that signaled a life of radical poverty and devotion in the early days of Islam. This deliberate choice distinguished these ascetics from the worldly elite and served as a reminder of the fragility of life and dependence on God.
Hasan al-Basri is considered a founding figure in the science of purifying the heart within Sufism. He led the early movement that emerged as a reaction against the materialism and corruption of the Umayyad Caliphate, which ruled from 661 to 750.
The Perfect Human is a figure who embodies the divine attributes and serves as a channel of grace from God to humanity. This figure is often identified with the Prophet Muhammad, who is seen as the most perfect example of human existence and the ultimate guide for all who seek to draw near to God.
By the eleventh century, the fluid spiritual practices of early Sufism began to crystallize into formal orders known as tariqas. These orders were structured paths within Islam designed to guide seekers through the stages of spiritual development.
The core practice of Sufism is called dhikr, which means the remembrance of God. The goal of dhikr is to purify the heart and to bring the seeker into a state of constant awareness of God's presence.
The rise of Wahhabi and Salafi movements in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries led to a violent opposition to Sufi practices. These movements viewed Sufi practices as superstitious and un-Islamic.