Questions about Sufism
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is Sufism and how does it relate to Islam?
Sufism is the mystic dimension of Islam, concerned with the purification of the inner self and the direct experience of the divine presence in this life. It is not a separate sect but a method of approaching Islamic practice, and historian Nile Green has argued that in the medieval period Sufism and Islam were more or less the same thing. Egypt's Al-Azhar University and leading Islamic scholars, in the 2005 Amman Message, specifically recognized Sufism as a valid part of Islam.
Where did the word Sufi come from?
The most widely accepted etymology traces the word Sufi to the Arabic ṣūf, meaning wool, because early practitioners wore rough woolen garments as a sign of asceticism and detachment from worldly life. Both Al-Qushayri and Ibn Khaldun rejected other etymological explanations on linguistic and documented grounds. The Sufi Al-Hasan ibn Salih al-Rudhabari combined wool and purity interpretations by saying the Sufi is one who wears wool on top of purity.
Who founded the major Sufi orders?
The major Sufi orders were founded by Islamic scholars in the eleventh through fourteenth centuries. These include the Qadiriyya, founded by Abdul-Qadir Gilani who died in 1166; the Chishtiyya, founded by Moinuddin Chishti who died in 1236; the Shadiliyya, founded by Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili who died in 1258; and the Naqshbandiyya, founded by Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari who died in 1389. Each order was attached to one of the four recognized Sunni schools of law.
What happened to Mansur Al-Hallaj and why is he significant in Sufism?
Mansur Al-Hallaj was executed in Baghdad on the 26th of March 922 after declaring Ana-l-Haqq, meaning I am the Truth, which was treated as apostasy. He spent eleven years imprisoned before being tortured and publicly beheaded. Sufis have continued to revere him for his refusal to recant his mystical declaration even at the cost of his life.
What is the role of dhikr in Sufi practice?
Dhikr, the remembrance of God, is the central devotional act in Sufism. It ranges from silent repetition of divine names within the rhythm of the heartbeat to communal ceremonies called sema, which can include recitation, singing, instrumental music, and the whirling dance associated with the Mevlevi order. The Quran commands dhikr for all Muslims; Sufis pursue it with particular intensity as the primary means of drawing closer to the divine presence.
How did Rabi'a al-Adawiyya contribute to Sufism?
Rabi'a al-Adawiyya, who died around 801, was one of the earliest Sufi mystics and is remembered for her emphasis on the love of God as the sole motive for worship. Born in poverty and sold into slavery before being freed, she is credited with a famous declaration rejecting worship motivated by fear of Hell or hope of Paradise, insisting on loving God for God's own sake. Hasan of Basra, a prominent early Sufi, described her as truly sincere.