Sufism

General Information

The word Sufism, which is probably derived from the Arabic suf ("wool"; hence sufi, "a person wearing an ascetic's woolen garment"), denotes Islamic mysticism. Although outside movements have had some influence on Sufi terminology, Sufism is definitely rooted in Islam itself. Its development began in the late 7th and 8th centuries when worldliness and loose morals in ruling Umayyad circles evoked a strong reaction among certain pious persons. Individuals such as Hasan of Basra (d. 728) urged the Muslim community to heed the Koranic call to fear God, its warnings for Judgment Day, and its reminders of the transitoriness of life in this world. A new emphasis on the love of God brought the transition from asceticism to mysticism. The woman saint Rabia of Basra (d. 801) called for love of God "for his own sake," not out of fear of hell or hope for heaven.

Sufism was early criticized by those who feared that the Sufis' concern for personal experiential knowledge of God could lead to neglect of established religious observances and that the Sufis' ideal of unity with God was a denial of the Islamic principle of the "otherness" of God. The execution (922) of al - Hallaj, who claimed mystical communion with God, is related to this second issue, and in later centuries some Sufis did indeed move to a theosophical monism (for example, Ibn Arabi, d. 1240; and Jili, d. c. 1428). By combining a traditional theological position with a moderate form of Sufism, al - Ghazali made mysticism widely acceptable in the Muslim world.

Sufism exercised a tremendous influence, partly through mystical poetry, for example, that of Jalal al - Din al - Rumi, and partly through the formation of religious brotherhoods. The latter grew out of the practice of disciples' studying under a mystical guide (pir, or "saint") to achieve direct communion with God. Some of the brotherhoods (turuq; singular, tariqa, "way") had a significant missionary impact.

Willem A Bijlefeld

Bibliography:
A J Arberry, Sufism: An Account of the Mystics of Islam (1950); M Lings, A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century: S A a - 'Alawi, His Spiritual Heritage and Legacy (1971); R A Nicholson, The Mystics of Islam (1914); A Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam (1975); I Shah, The Sufis (1971); J Subhan, Sufism: Its Saints and Shrines (1938); J S Trimingham, The Sufi Orders in Islam (1971).

Sufism

An ascetic tradition called Sufism emphasized personal piety and mysticism and contributed to Islamic cultural diversity, and further enriched the Muslim heritage. In contrast to the legal-minded approach to Islam, Sufis emphasized spirituality as a way of knowing God. During the 9th century Sufism developed into a mystical doctrine, with direct communion or even ecstatic union with God as its ideal. One of the vehicles for this experience is the ecstatic dance of the Sufi whirling dervishes. Eventually Sufism later developed into a complex popular movement and was institutionalized in the form of collective, hierarchical Sufi orders.

The Sufi emphasis on intuitive knowledge and the love of God increased the appeal of Islam to the masses and largely made possible its extension beyond the Middle East into Africa and East Asia. Sufi brotherhoods multiplied rapidly from the Atlantic coast to Indonesia; some spanned the entire Islamic world, others were regional or local. The tremendous success of these fraternities was due primarily to the abilities and humanitarianism of their founders and leaders, who not only ministered to the spiritual needs of their followers but also helped the poor of all faiths and frequently served as intermediaries between the people and the government.

Ahmad S. Dallal