Medieval Sufism

The site is created to give you a better understanding of Medieval Sufism. Sufism is generally understood by scholars and Sufis to be the inner, mystical, or psycho-spiritual dimension of Islam. Today, however, many Muslims and non-Muslims believe that Sufism is outside the sphere of Islam.

What is Sufism?

There is no broad definition of Sufism. According to the Oxford Companion in Philosophy, Sufism is "Muslim mysticism characterized by the concept of a union of the human being with God through the power of love. The union was thought by many to be of the will and it was held that suffering, as well as love, was a necessary condition of the union. Its days as a major force in Islam are long since past." But this is only a broad definition of a term which still hasn't been fully defined. This section of the site has links to other websites which help explain many definitions and perceptions of Sufism.

The Structure of Sufi Order

Sufism is another faith in Islam. Each Sufi owes his/her alleigence to an Imam (priest) or a Sufi school of thought who supposedly leads the Sufi to enlightenment. This Imam also prays to God to help the Sufi through his hardship and enlightenment process. This practice has recieved severe criticism from many Muslim scholors. The idea that one needs a middleman or Imam to reach God directly is absurd. The Sufi orders have also broken up Islam into many sects over small issues such as different paths to enlightenment. This site has links to websites which help explain different Sufi orders and schools of thought.

Sufi Literature

Sufis were inspired to write about their thoughts and methods of reaching enlightenment. Sufi literature raises some interesting issues which question the unquestionable and unexplainable aspects of Islamic faith. Thus, many of Sufi literature has been condemned by Muslim scholors for heresy, a religious condemnation known as Fatwa. The punishment of heresy is the most severe one, death. Much of the literature from the middle east stems out of Medieval Sufism. This section of the site has links to other websites which contain Sufi literature and help understand their value and significance.

Modern Sufism

The role of Sufism in Islam has shrunk since the medieval times. Medieval times were known as the golden age of Islam due to Muslim accomplishments and heroism. Though Islam is still expanding, today's age is known as the downturn of Islam. Muslim faith has been criticized, and many others are skeptic about Islam due to the aftermath of September 11, 2001. In modern times, Sufism has been incorported into politics and revolutions. Many people believe that the Iranian revolution, the Taliban, and many other Islamic political revolutions in the world were lead by Sufi thought. This section of the site has links to other websites which help explain the new and developed version of Sufism.

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