Conclusion – Sufism

As a religious and political institution, the Sufis turned to asceticism and mysticism to protest the growing materialism of the Caliphate. They were against dogmatic definitions and educational methods of interpreting the Qur’an and Sunna adopted by theologians. They emphasized attaining salvation through intense devotion and love for God. They regarded Prophet Muhammad as a perfect human being and suggested following his example.

Sufism opposes the propaganda of fanatics for faith and devotion to God. Sufism is a spiritual movement against the orthodox practice of Islam whose aim is to bring mankind to the realization of God without any intermediary. These people were interested in Hindu-Muslim unity and cultural harmony. The main aim of Sufism is to serve humanity through spiritual self-development.

Sufism: The medieval era saw a major social and religious movement in the Islamic world called the Sufi movement. In India, along with the Bhakti movement, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Sufi movement also became popular and left its indelible mark on the hearts of the people. The Sufi movement was a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity. The Sufi scholars traveling across continental Asia were instrumental in the social, economic, and philosophical development of India.

In addition to preaching in major cities and centers of intellectual thought, Sufis reached out to poor and marginalized rural communities and preached in local dialects such as Urdu, Sindhi, and Punjabi.

In this article, we will read about Sufism, the major beliefs of Sufism, and its practices in detail.