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by donjeremias on April 11th, 2005

donjeremias

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What are the major sects of Sufism and how are they defined? Do they all regard the teachers as quasi-deities?

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Answers. 5 helpful answers below.

  • by Allahuma Sali ala Muhammad saaws on December 25th, 2007

    Allahuma Sali ala Muhammad saaws

    Traditional Sufis do not regard their teachers as any kind of Deities but the terminology of the Quran describes a certain type of worshipper that is often loosely translated as a friend of God or a saint.

    This is the level of respect given to Sufi teachers and no divination nor deification.

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  • by Allahuma Sali ala Muhammad saaws on December 25th, 2007

    Allahuma Sali ala Muhammad saaws

    The major sects of Sufism are actual orders that were developed by Teachers from varied parts of the world and they were all Muslims.

    The 4 major branches of orders have the following names:
    Rifaiya (From Bagdad-Iraq)

    Qadiria (From Bagdad-Iraq)

    Ahmadiya (From Tanta Egypt Not Pakistan) also referred to as Bedawiya for Imam Seyed el Badawy of Tanta Egypt (RA)

    Burhaniya (From Dusuq Egypt not from India)Also referred to as Dusuqiya from Imam Dusuqi of Egypt (RA)

    Another very huge sufi order is called Shadhiliya orginally from Morocco, Tunisia... and Egypt.
    Related To Imam Shadhili of Morocco/Egypt and Imam Abul Abas el Mursi of Tunisia/Egypt.

    There are many others and I cannot go in to detail about all the names and histories but they are all muslims in origin and none of them are limited to their geographic origins in fact some of them are so wide spread they exist in most western countries and many eastern countries as well.

    The names vary because of the names of their founders, or the place of their developement or the type of invocations that they do and this leads to the terms such as Khalwatiya (Helveti) and Nagshbandiya but we consider all to be one in purpose and in spirit.

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  • by Allahuma Sali ala Muhammad saaws on December 25th, 2007

    Allahuma Sali ala Muhammad saaws

    Sufis are the jewels of the muslim nations. They were given this name derived form similar sounding words in the arabic language as indication to their sincerity and piety. Sufism is an orientalist term for the arabic term tasawaf about which the four major schools of Islamic law were very familiar and especial the Imam Malik ibn Anas and Imam Shafi (RA) spoke very clearly in favor of Sufism. Another Muslim Scholar to that effect was Imam el Ghazali(RA) and the list goes on.
    Traditional Sufism is not foreign from Islamic beliefs and practise but in modern times Islamic groups are very foreign from actual ISlamic beliefs and practise.
    Before they began Killing westerners they were trying to Kills Sufis.

    A Sufis is not any person who chooses to call him self that title on the contrary a sufi is a real devoted worshipper who strives to cleanse his inner being much like the transforamtions of led to gold and this is done through sound and firm established methods from the Quran and the Teachings of the prophet Muhammad (saws)

    A sufi is not an atheist, not a polythesist, not a fire worshipper and not practicioner of witchcraft but many persons were attracted to the sufis because of the calmness of her hearts, the gentle kindness of their approach and the power that they have that is related to the worship that they do as given to them by a guide/Master teacher who was at sometime or stills is student of a guide/Master teacher and so on back to the prophet Muhammad (saws)

    I wanted to explain the fact of what sufism is and is not first. now concerning the sects: Islam is considered to have 73 sects about which only one is considered legitamate. Most people are only aware of the Sunni and Shiya.
    Sufism does not have sects but rather orders that were spread in certain countries at certain times for certain reasons. It is like a wheel that has man spokes that all extend to a single point in the center or an immense well to drink from but different points of access to this water.

    The contrast between the sufi orders and the muslims sects is that generally the various sufi orders are quite accepting of the other orders while the muslims sects are rare accepting of the other sects.

    One could say that between sunni and shiya there is lots more in common than different but yet there is a huge split while among the sufi orders though they may differ in certain aspects they retain that original sense of brotherhood that was the hallmark of early muslim communities.

    Sufism is a path to find the truth within ones self and find God in that truth and journey for nearness to him by means of love and devotion not killing or maimimg. There is no descrimination based upon raise nor gender either.

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  • by jin jang on March 23rd, 2007

    jin jang

    I would not say Sufis have sects,but they have traditions.Sufis have been around many centuries before Islam existed,and is not really associated with Islam.They,like the Hindus,have a long line of masters,that go back thousands of years.The local groups are run by Shieks.No one wears traditional clothing,but everyday clothing.They are a mystical tradition,with the relationship between God and man as being private.It is souly spiritual based.Teachers are not considered deities,and this sort of thinking is frowned apon amoung the Sufis.

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  • by Anonymous on April 18th, 2005

    Anonymous

    I don't know about their sects, but just stay away from them.

    I think they do believe that they must have a teacher and that's how they get "close" to Allah.. basically the stuff they do this way they associate partners to Allah. Islamic Scholars have said that Sufism really has nothing to do with Islam.

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