Sufism -- Sufis -- Sufi Orders

Sufism's Many Paths
Dr. Alan Godlas, University of Georgia

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Sufism or tasawwuf, as it is called in Arabic, 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. Nevertheless, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, one of the foremost scholars of Islam, in his article The Interior Life in Islam contends that Sufism is simply the name for the inner or esoteric dimension of Islam.

After nearly 30 years of the study of Sufism, I would say that in spite of its many variations and voluminous expressions, the essence of Sufi practice is quite simple. It is that the Sufi surrenders to God, in love, over and over; which involves embracing with love at each moment the content of one's consciousness (one's perceptions, thoughts, and feelings, as well as one's sense of self) as gifts of God or, more precisely, as manifestations of God.

Sufi Spiritual Transformation Workshop w/Dr. Godlas March 29-30, 2008, near Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sufis Without Borders An online discussion group loosely moderated by Dr. Godlas and a moderating committee; currently over 860 international participants from many Sufi orders and perspectives, interested non-Sufis, and scholars. Sufi News and Sufism World Report The only news digest from around the world concerning Sufis and Sufism. Updated daily. Sufi Cartoons Table of Contents Sufism: an Introduction Classical Sufi Definitions of Sufism Obstacles on the Path Struggle With One's Nafs (self)  Awakening to the Awareness of the Unmanifest World  Remembering God  Sufism, Remembrance, and Love Islam's Relationship to Sufism: Approval and Criticism  Sufism and Sufi Orders in the West Sufi Poets and Sufi Poetry Sufi Women  Sufi Qur'an Commentary (Sufi Tafsir) Sufi Resources, Books, Bookstores, Events and Conferences, and Sufi Personal and Marriage Ads Online Sufi Texts in Arabic Shaykhs, Sufi Orders, and Shrines Selected Sufis Sufi Orders and Their Shaykhs Hasan al-Basri Malamatiya Rabi'a al-Adawiya Yasawiya - Ahmet Yasawi Bayazid-i Bistami Kubrawiya (and Oveyssi)- Najm al-Din Kubra  Sahl ibn 'Abdallah al-Tustari Qadiriya - 'Abd al-Qadir Jilani Mansur al-Hallaj Rifa'iya - Ahmet Rifa'i Abu 'l-Hasan Kharaqani Mevleviye - Jalal al-Din Rumi Abu Sa'id Abu al-Khayr Bektashiye - Haji Bektash Veli Khwajah 'Abdallah Ansari Naqshbandiya - Baha' al-Din Naqshband Abu Hamid al-Ghazali Ni'matallahiya - Shah Ni'matallah Vali 'Ayn al-Qudat Hamadani Bayramiye - Haji Bayram Veli Ruzbihan-i Baqli Chishtiya - Mu'in al-Din Chishti Ibn 'Arabi Shadhiliya - Abu al-Hasan al-Shadhili Yunus Emre Khalwatiya - 'Umar al-Khalwati Tijaniya - Ahmad al-Tijani Muridiyya - Ahmadu Bamba Qalandariya Orders in East Africa Orders in North Africa Orders in Indonesia and Malaysia Orders in Afghanistan Orders in Pakistan Orders in Bangladesh and India Orders in Kurdistan Orders in Russia Orders in Turkmenistan Orders in the Balkans

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