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Definition: Sufism from Philip's Encyclopedia

Mystic philosophical movement within Islam that developed among the Shi'ite communities in the 10th and 11th centuries. Sufis stress the capability of the soul to attain personal union with God. See also Dervish

Sufism

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Mystical movement of Islam that originated in the 8th century. Sufis emphasize the development of spiritual knowledge of God, and believe that deep intuition is the only real guide to knowledge. They follow the Shari'a (law of Islam), but are also trained through meditation and other spiritual practices to concentrate on a direct experience of God. The movement has a strong strain of asceticism (severe self-discipline), rejects material values, and emphasizes humility and kindness. Sufi leaders are called shaikhs. There are a number of groups or brotherhoods within Sufism, each with its own method of meditative practice, one of which is the whirling dance of the dervishes . Sufism was originally influenced by the ascetics of the early Christian church, but later developed within the structure of orthodox Islam. The name derives from Arabic suf , a rough woollen robe worn as an indication of disregard for material things. Many Sufis in the past have used poetry, music, and stories to…
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Full text Article Sufism

From Chambers Dictionary of the Unexplained
A mystical tradition of Islam the adherents of which aspire to a direct, personal experience of and union with God. Sufism began in the late 7th century and is now made up of a number of different orders which encompass a wide diversity of thought and practices. According to Sufi historians, Sufism…
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Full text Article Sufism

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(sō'fĭzӘm), an umbrella term for the ascetic and mystical movements within Islam . While Sufism is said to have incorporated elements of Christian monasticism, gnosticism, and Indian mysticism, its origins are traced to forms of devotion and groups of penitents ( zuhhad ) in the formative period of…
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Full text Article Sufism

From Encyclopedia of American Religious History
Sufism is a form of Islam that emphasizes the mystical and esoteric elements of the tradition. Emerging as an identifiable movement in the 7th and 8th centuries, at one time, Sufism dominated popular Islamic practices, and the majority of Muslims were affiliated with one of the leading Sufi orders ( …
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Full text Article Sufism

From The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion
The historical authenticity of Sufism is based upon the human experience of certain Muslim pious charismatics, with the mystic label being a later medieval denotation. Sufism may be approached in three ways: as a cultural catalyst for localized religious identities, as a sociopolitical force…
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Full text Article Sufism

From Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World
© AP IMAGES/EFREM LUKATSKY The Blue Mosque in...
Tasawwuf is an Arabic term for the process of realizing ethical and spiritual ideals; meaning literally “becoming a Sufi,” tasawwuf is generally translated as Sufism. The etymologies for the term Sufi are various. The primary obvious meaning of the term comes from suf , “wool,” the traditional…
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Full text Article Sufism

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Mystical movement within Islam that seeks to find divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God. It consists of a variety of mystical paths that are designed to ascertain the nature of mankind and God and to facilitate the experience of divine love and wisdom in the world. …
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Also known as: Tasawwuf Sufism is Islamic mysticism. The word derives from the Arabic tasawwuf meaning “to wear wool” or “to seek purification.” Early Sufis, or practitioners of Sufism, often wore simple wool capes and sought knowledge of the higher being using both their bodies and minds. Sufism is…
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Full text Article Sufism

From Encyclopedia of World Religions: Encyclopedia of Islam
Also known as: Tasawwuf The mystical traditions of Islam are known by the general term Sufism. This term, which was first coined at the end of the 19th century by British scholars in India, refers to the Islam of inward vision and individual religious experience, but it also encompasses an…
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Full text Article Sufism

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Mystical movement of Islam that originated in the 8th century. Sufis emphasize the development of spiritual knowledge of God, and believe that deep intuition is the only real guide to knowledge. They follow the Shari'a (law of Islam), but are also trained through meditation and other spiritual…
| 169 words
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Full text Article Sufism

From Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Political Thought
The religion and practice of the Sufi sect of Islam . The etymology of the term ( tawassuf ) is disputed: it is probably from suf – wool – on account of the woolly garments of the Sufi fraternities; but it could be from Greek sophia –wisdom – recording the pronounced influence of Greek philosophy, …
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