Articles
Writing about the Sufis and their teachings, in four languages, from contributors around the world.
- Who is a Sufi?
A Sufi does not leave the world; a Sufi comes to know God while living fully in it. This article looks at where the word comes from and the qualities by which a Sufi is recognised.
Foundations of SufismEnglish3 min read
- What is Tasawwuf?
Tasawwuf, known in English as Sufism, is the inner knowledge of Islam: the knowledge that purifies the soul and brings a person close to the Creator. This article explains what it rests on and how it is practised.
Foundations of SufismEnglish3 min read
- Islam, Iman and Ihsan: where Sufism stands
In a famous hadith, the angel Jibril asked the Prophet ﷺ: what is Islam, what is Iman, and what is Ihsan. Sufis find the definition of their whole path in the third answer.
Foundations of SufismEnglish3 min read
- A short history of Tasawwuf
Sufis trace their path back to the first human being and through every prophet. Historians follow it from the early ascetics of Basra and Baghdad to the great orders that carried Islam across Asia and Africa. This article follows both accounts.
Foundations of SufismEnglish4 min read
- Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (1207–1273)
A respected scholar of Konya whose meeting with a wandering dervish, Shams of Tabriz, turned him into one of the great poets of divine love. Seven centuries later, the Masnavi is still read from Istanbul to Lahore.
Foundations of SufismEnglish3 min read