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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.^[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. Another common denomination is the word Dervish (derived from Persian: درویش - darwīš). Arabic redirects here. ... Look up Kurdish in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Farsi redirects here. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Arabic redirects here. ... For other uses, see Dervish (disambiguation). ... Farsi redirects here. ...

Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq, a 15th century Shadhili Sufi master, wrote in his major work "The Principles of Sufism" (Qawa`id al-Tasawwuf) that:^[2] Sheikh Ahmed Zarruq (1442-1493) was a Shadhili Sufi Sheikh and founder of the Zarruqiyye branch of the Shadhili Sufi order (Tariqa). ... The Tariqa ash Shadhiliya 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: 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 branch of the Shadhiliyah brotherhood. ...

Sufi Orders or Sufi Brotherhoods are traditionally known as Tariqa. 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'. ^[3] This article is in need of attention. ... Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Qadiriyyah, one of the oldest Sufi tariqa, derives its name from Abd al-Qadir al-Djilani (1077-1166), a native of the Iranian province of Gilan. ... Naqshbandi (Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders (tariqa) of Islam. ...

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.^[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. Arabic redirects here. ... For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ...

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. 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. Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... This article is about the Persian people, an ethnic group found mainly in Iran. ... Al-Biruni redirects here. ... Sophia (Σoφíα, Greek for wisdom) is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Gnostic Christianity and Orthodox Christianity. ...

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. For other uses, see Dualism (disambiguation). ... In philosophy, the self is the idea of a unified being which is the source of an idiosyncratic conciousness. ... TawhÄ«d (also Tawhid or Tauhid or Tawheed; Arabic توحيد) is the Islamic concept of monotheism, derived from Ahad. ...

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. 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. // For a comparison of parable with other kinds of stories, see Myth, legend, fairy tale, and fable. ... Allegory of Music by Filippino Lippi. ... This article is about metaphor in literature and rhetoric. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bhakti (DevanāgarÄ«: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion and also the path of devotion itself, as in Bhakti-Yoga. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Hesychasm (Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, stillness, rest, quiet, silence) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised (Gk: hesychazo: to keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ... A woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, (Japan, 1887) depicting Bodhidharma the founder of Chinese Zen. ... This article is about traditional Jewish Kabbalah. ... Gnosticism (Greek: gnōsis, knowledge) refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christian mysticism...

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. Conference of the Birds (Manteq at-Tair, 1177) is a mystic book of poems in Persian by Farid ud-Din Attar of approximately 4500 lines. ... The Masnavi or Masnavi-I Manavi (Persian: مثنوی معنوی), also written Mathnawi or Mesnevi, written in Persian by Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, the celebrated Persian Sufi saint and poet, is one of the best known and most influential works of both Sufism and Persian literature. ...

History of Sufism

Main article: History of Sufism

Sufism began in the eighth century. ...

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.^[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. 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. The Naqshbandi order is a notable exception to this rule, as it traces its origin to the first Islamic Caliph Abdullah (Abu Bakr). This article is about the city of Basra. ... Transoxiana (sometimes also spelled Transoxania) is the now-largely obsolete name used for the portion of Central Asia corresponding approximately with modern-day Uzbekistan and southwest Kazakhstan. ... Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... Ali ibn Abu Talib (Arabic: علي بن أبي طالب translit: ‘AlÄ« ibn Abu Ṭālib Persian: علی پسر ابو طالب) ‎ (599 – 661) is an early Islamic leader. ... Naqshbandi (Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders (tariqa) of Islam. ... Abu Bakr As Siddiq (Arabic ابو بكر الصديق, alternative spellings, Abubakar, Abi Bakr, Abu Bakar) (c. ...

Some orientalist scholars believe that Sufism was essentially the result of Islam evolving in a more mystic direction. For example, Annemarie Schimmel proposes that Sufism in its early stages of development meant nothing but the interiorization of Islam. According to Louis Massignon: "It is from the Qur’an, constantly recited, meditated, and experienced, that Sufism proceeded, in its origin and its development."^[7] Orientalism is the study of Near and Far Eastern societies and cultures, by Westerners. ... Annemarie Schimmel (April 7, 1922 - January 26, 2003) was a well known and very influential German Iranologist and scholar who wrote extensively on Islam and Sufism. ... Louis Massignon (July 25, 1883–October 31, 1962) was a French scholar of Islam and its history. ...

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). Byzantine redirects here. ... Murid (Arabic: 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. ... Shaikh (شيخ, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh or Sheikh) is a word in the Arabic language meaning an elder or a revered old man. ... A Pir (Persian: پیر) meaning Old Man. ... A Murshid is the teacher and guide to his disciples (Mureedh). ...

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). 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. Rabia al-Basri was a female Sufi and known for her love and passion for God. 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. Maqaam ( the station ) is ones spiritual station or developmental level, as distinct from ones hal, or state of consciousness. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Uwais al-Qarni or Oways b. ... Hasan Ul-Basri [Abu Saud ul-Hasan ibn Abi-l-Hasan Vassar ul-Basri], (642 - 728 or 737), Arabian theologian, was born at Medina. ... Rabi’a al-‘Adawiyya (717-801 C.E.) was an 8th c. ... Junayd ibn Muhammad Abu al-Qasim al-Khazzaz al-Baghdadi (830-910) was one of the great early mystics, or Sufis, of Islam. ... It has been suggested that Fana be merged into this article or section. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... World is a key concept in theology. ...

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.^[8] Rumi (born November 29, 1982) is a Persian-Canadian Singer-songwriter and a Photographer who is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... Rumi (born November 29, 1982) is a Persian-Canadian Singer-songwriter and a Photographer who is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... The Masnavi or Masnavi I Manavi (مثنوی معنوی in Persian), also written Mathnawi or Mesnevi, written in Persian by Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, the well known Persian Sufi saint and poet, is one of the best known and most influential works of Muslim mysticism. ...

"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 was first introduced in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1143-1223 AD) and is the oldest known order.^[11] The Chishti Order was founded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami (the Syrian) (d. ... Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1141 - 1230 AD), also known as Gharib Nawaz, is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of South Asia. ...

The dates of the founding of the orders are as follows:^{[citation needed]}

• 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.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.1485 AD)
• Bektashi Order (Turkey and Balkans) (13th century AD)
• Tijaniyyah Order (Morocco) (1739-present)

The Chishti Order was founded by Khwaja Abu Ishaq Shami (the Syrian) (d. ... Suhrawardiyya is the name of a Sufi order founded by Shihabuddin Yahya as-Suhrawardi. ... Whirling Dervishes perform near the Mevlevi Museum in Konya, Turkey. ... Qadiriyyah, one of the oldest Sufi tariqa, derives its name from Abd al-Qadir al-Djilani (1077-1166), a native of the Iranian province of Gilan. ... Naqshbandi (Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders (tariqa) of Islam. ... The Nimatullahi order (also spelled Nimatollahi or Nematollahi) is a Sufi Order or Tariqa originating in Persia. ... The Rifai (also Rufai) are a Sufi order most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey and the Balkans. ... The Tariqa ash Shadhiliya is a Sufi order founded by Abu-l-Hassan ash-Shadhili. ... The Bektashism (Turkish: BektaÅŸilik) is an Islamic Sufi order (tariqat). ... Balkan redirects here. ... Tijani order (sufi tarika) was founded in Fez in the 1780s by Ahmad al-Tidjani (d. ...

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. 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. Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī (1058-1111) (Persian: ), known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia (modern day Iran). ... BCE redirects here. ...

Data Durbar Complex in Pakistan , Mausoleum of Data Ganj Bakhsh

File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Data Durbar is the tomb of Ali Hajweri, the famous Sufi of Pakistan, where hundreds of thousands of people come each year to pay their respects and to say their prayers. ... Data Durbar, Hujwiris shrine in Lahore, Pakistan Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri (Arabic: سید علی بن عثمان الہجوہری ) (sometimes spelled Hujwiri), also known as Shaikh Ali Hajweri, Data Ganj Bakhsh (Urdu: داتا گنج بخش ), or Data Sahib, was a scholar of Islam and a Sufi saint, and writer of the 11th century. ...

Propagation of Sufism

Sufism, during 1200-1500 CE, experienced an era of increased activity in various parts of the Islamic world. 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. For the 2005 horror film,see Hostel (film). ...

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

The propagation of Sufism started in Baghdad, and spread to Persia, India, North Africa, and Spain. There were tests of conciliation between Sufism and other Islamic sciences (Sharia, Fiqh, etc.), as well as the beginning of the Sufi Brotherhoods (Turuq). Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Persia redirects here. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...

One of the first orders to originate was the Yasawi order, named after Khwajah Ahmed Yesevi in modern Kazakhstan. 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.^[14] The most prominent Sufi master of this era is Abdul Qadir Jilani, the founder of the Qadiriyyah order in Iraq. Others included Rumi, founder of the Mevlevi order in Konya, modern day Turkey, Sahabuddin Suharwardi in Iran, Moinuddin Chishti and Makhdoom Ashraf in India. Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi. ... The Kubrawiya order is a Sufi order (tariqa) named after its 13th century founder Najmeddin Kubra. ... Sheikh Najmeddin Kubra was a 13th century famous Persian Sufi from Khwarezmia and was the founder of the Kubrawiya Sufi order. ... Sheikh Muhyiddeen Abdul Qadir Gilani , Abdul Qadir al-Gilani , Abdul Qadir el-Gilani or Moulay Abdelkader Jilali (in Maghreb countries (Arabic: عبد القادر الجيلانى ); (1077 – 1166 CE) was a mystic scholar and saint of Islam. ... Qadiriyyah (Arabic: القادريه) (also transliterated Qadiri), is one of the oldest Sufi tariqas, derives its name from Abdul Qadir Jilani (also transliterated as Gilani) (1077-1166), a native of the Iranian province of Gilan. ... Mawlana Rumi Mawlānā Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī[1] (Arabic:مولانا جلال الدين محمد رومي) ‎ (1207 – 1273 CE), also known as Muhammad Balkhī (Persian: محمد بلخى) or Celâladin Mehmet Rumi (Turkish), was a Persian poet, jurist, theologian and teacher of Sufism. ... Whirling Dervishes perform near the Mevlevi Museum in Konya, Turkey. ... Konya (Ottoman Turkish: ; also Koniah, Konieh, Konia, and Qunia; historically also known as Iconium (Latin), Greek: Ikónion) is a city in Turkey, on the central plateau of Anatolia. ... Shihabuddin Yahya as-Suhrawardi (1153-1191), was a prominent mystic-philosopher. ... Moinuddin Chishti dargah, Ajmer, India Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty (Persian: خواجہ معین الدین چشتی ) was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE, also known as Gharib Nawaz (Persian: غریب نواز ), was a Sunni Muslim and is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of South Asia. ...

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. Ahmad Sirhindi was an Islamic scholar and prominent member of the Naqshbandi Sufi order. ... Naqshbandi (Naqshbandiyya) is one of the major Tasawwuf orders (tariqa) of Islam. ... Pantheism literally means God is All and All is God. It is the view that everything is of an all-encompassing immanent God; or that the universe, or nature, and God are equivalent. ...

Mausoleum of Shah Rukn-e-Alam (A Sufi Saint) in Multan, Pakistan

Sufi Temple in Katwijk, The Netherlands

Image File history File linksMetadata ShahRukne_Alam_2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata ShahRukne_Alam_2. ... Multan shown on a 1669 world map   (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1119x693, 93 KB) Soufi temple in the Southdunes in Katwijk, The Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1119x693, 93 KB) Soufi temple in the Southdunes in Katwijk, The Netherlands. ... Katwijk Location Flag Country Netherlands Province South Holland Population 61. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain...

Sufism's Role in the Expansion of Islam

Sufism is flexible in terms of religious materiality. 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. This article is about two nested areas of Turkey, a plateau region within a peninsula. ...

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 (Arabic/Persian: ‎ ḤājÄ« Baktāš WālÄ«; Turkish: Hacı BektaÅŸ Veli) was a Muslim mystic, humanist and philosopher from Khorasan, who lived approximately from 1209-1271 in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). ... Seljuk Prince with Mongoloid features. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1683, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–1365) Edirne (1365–1453) Ä°stanbul (1453–1922) Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 (first) Osman I  - 1918–22 (last) Mehmed VI Grand Viziers  - 1320...

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). Ivan Abd Al-Hadi Aguéli (Johan Gustaf Agelii or Sheikh Abd Al-Hadi Aqhili), (Sala, Kingdom of Sweden May 24, 1869 - Barcelona, Spain October 1, 1917) was a Swedish-born Impressionist painter and Sufi scholar. ...

During the 20th Century, as the ottoman caliphate was abolished, the Muslim world fragmented and experienced major upheavals Sufis gave birth to political movements^{[citation needed]}; Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood was from a Sufi background^{[citation needed]}, as was Taqiuddin Nabhani^{[citation needed]} founder of Hizb ut-Tahrir; taught by his great Sufi grandfather Yusuf Nabhani^{[citation needed]}. Important Sufis alive today include Nader Angha, Nazim al-Qubrusi, Nuh Ha Mim Keller, Hamza Yusuf, Gohar Shahi, Tahir-ul-Qadri and Muzaffer Ozak. These individuals have in some measure been responsible for the continued introduction and spread of the Sufi path in the modern West.^{[citation needed]} Look up Ottoman, ottoman in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfah), is the Islamic form of government representing the political unity and leadership of the Muslim world. ... Hassan al Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. ... The Muslim Brothers (Arabic: الإخوان المسلمون al-ikhwān al-muslimÅ«n, full title The Society of the Muslim Brothers, often simply الإخوان al-ikhwān, the Brotherhood or MB) is a world-wide Sunni Islamist movement and the worlds largest, most influential Islamist group[1]. The MB is the largest political... Nabhani can refer to: The Nabhani dynasty that ruled Oman between the 12th and 17th century. ... Hizb ut-Tahrir (Arabic: ‎; English: ) is a internationalist Sunni, anti-nationalist, pan-Islamist vanguard[2] political party whose goal is to unite all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state or caliphate, ruled by Islamic law and headed by an elected head of state (caliph). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Shaykh Nazim in Cyprus after a prayer 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 al-Qubrusi al-Firdausi an-Naqshbandi (April 23, 1922 - IC: Shaban 26, 1340) is the leader of the... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Hamza Yusuf Hanson is an Islamic scholar who teaches at the Zaytuna Institute in California, U.S.. He is one of the signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, calling for peace and understanding. ... Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu:ریاض احمدگوھرشاہی) (‎25 November 1941 – 25 November 2001) also known as Sayyedna Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi (Urdu:سیدناریاض احمدگوھرشاہی) or Hazrat Sayyedna Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shahi Muddazullahul Aali (Urdu:حضرت سیدناریاض احمدگوھرشاہی مدظلہ العالی) was a Muslim Sufi, author, spiritual leader and founder of the spiritual movement Anjuman Serfaroshan-e-Islam. ... Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri (Urdu: محمد طاہر القادری) (born February 19, 1951) is a Muslim writer, poet, professor, religious scholar, and a politician from Pakistan. ... Muzaffer Ozak (1916 - 1985) was the head sheikh of the Halveti-Jerrahi order of Dervishes, a traditional muslim Sufi order (tarika) from Istanbul (Turkey). ...

Sufism also is popular in such African countries as Senegal, where it is seen as a mystical expression of Islam in Senegal.^[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.^[16] Mysticism (ancient Greek mysticon = secret) is meditation, prayer, or theology focused on the direct experience of union with divinity, God, or Ultimate Reality, or the belief that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge. ...

Influences

Some researchers find influences in Sufism from pre-Islamic and non-Islamic schools of mysticism and philosophy such as Neoplatonism.^[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.^{[citation needed]}The same has been said of Buddhism and ancient Egyptian spiritual practices.^{[citation needed]} However, most Muslim theologians disagree with this. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... 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 Plotinus and based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists. ... Buddhism, a Dharmic faith, is usually considered one of the worlds major religions, with between 230 to 500 million followers. ... The pyramids are the most recognizable symbols of the civilization of ancient Egypt. ...

Sufi Concepts

Main article: Sufi philosophy

// Cosmology Subtle bodies Rooh ( Soul ) Nasma ( Astral Body ) Physical body Concepts in Gnosis Fana Baqa Haal Maqaam Other concepts Haqiqa Marifa Ihsan Categories: Sufi philosophy | Mystic 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. These lataif (singular : latifa) designate various psychospiritual "organs", or faculties of sensory perception. Drawing from Quranic verses, virtually all Sufis distinguish Lataif-as-Sitta (the six subtleties): Nafs, Qalb, Sirr, Ruh, Khafi, and Akhfa. ...

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. 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. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Dhikr , ذکر (Zikr in Urdu and Zekr in Persian) (Arabic pronouncement, invocation or remembrance) is an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God. ...

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. 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. Although there is no consensus with regard to Sufi cosmology, one can disentangle various threads that led to the crystallization of more or less coherent cosmological doctrines. ... Although there is no consensus with regard to Sufi cosmology, one can disentangle various threads that led to the crystallization of more or less coherent cosmological doctrines. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Sohrevardi. ... Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is an ancient school of philosophy beginning in the 3rd century A.D. It was based on the teachings of Plato and Platonists; but it interpreted Plato in many new ways, such that Neoplatonism was quite different from what Plato taught, though not many Neoplatonists would... This article needs cleanup. ... For the Maliki scholar, see Ibn al-Arabi. ...

One of the most thorough declarations of Sufi cosmology is found in the book God Speaks by Meher Baba. God Speaks by Meher Baba God Speaks is a book by Meher Baba and is Meher Babas most complete statement of the process of Creation and its purpose. ... Meher Baba (Persian: مهر بابا Devanāgarī: महर बाबा ), (February 25, 1894, Merwan Sheriar Irani – January 31, 1969), was an Indian spiritual teacher who said he was the Avatar. ...

See also: Plane cosmology and Esoteric cosmology. In metaphysics and esoteric cosmology, a plane of existence (sometimes called simply a plane, dimension, vibrating plane, or an inner, invisible, spiritual, supraphysical world, or egg) is conceived as a subtle region of space (and/or consciousness) beyond, but permeating, the known physical universe (or a portion of the physical... Esoteric cosmology is cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. ...

Sufi Practices

A Sufi man goes into a trance in Khartoum, Sudan

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (969x720, 73 KB) Description: Sufis, ritual in Khartoum. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (969x720, 73 KB) Description: Sufis, ritual in Khartoum. ... Nickname: Khartoums location in Sudan Coordinates: , Government  - Governor Abdul Halim al Mutafi Population (2005)  - Urban 2. ...

Dhikr

Main article: Dhikr

Dhikr is the remembrance of God commanded in the Qur'an for all Muslims. 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. More generally, any activity in which the Muslim maintains awareness of God is considered dhikr. Dhikr , ذکر (Zikr in Urdu and Zekr in Persian) (Arabic pronouncement, invocation or remembrance) is an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God. ... Dhikr , ذکر (Zikr in Urdu and Zekr in Persian) (Arabic pronouncement, invocation or remembrance) is an Islamic practice that focuses on the remembrance of God. ... The Qur&a