A Scholarly and Analytical Study of the Fundamentals of Sufism

Abstract

This study offers a scholarly and analytical exploration of the foundational concepts of Sufism, examining its intellectual, spiritual, historical, and socio-ethical dimensions. As a doctrinal discipline, Sufism stands firmly upon the principles of Divine Unity (Tawḥīd) and the finality of Prophethood, while its historical continuity resembles the uninterrupted transmission of ḥadīth extending from contemporary times back to the era of the Prophet ﷺ. From an intellectual perspective, the theological debates surrounding waḥdat al-wujūd and waḥdat al-shuhūd constitute central discussions that shaped Sufi metaphysics. Sufism also embodies a scientific orientation insofar as it seeks access to the Absolute Reality through reflection upon the signs of God in the horizons and within the self, though its epistemic method differs from empirical science: the scientific approach is inferential and experimental, whereas Sufism relies on unveiling (kashf), spiritual experience, and divine inspiration. Socially, Sufism aims at moral refinement, character building, and the attainment of worldly and spiritual well-being. Its ultimate purpose is the pursuit of Divine pleasure through worship, purification, and service to humanity. The subject matter of Sufism includes the purification of the self (tazkiyat al-nafs), purification of the heart (taṣfiyat al-qalb), and illumination of the spirit (tajalliyat al-rūḥ). Over time, great scholars and spiritual masters developed distinct Sufi orders, analogous to the formation of legal schools in Islamic jurisprudence. Sufi terminology emerged to preserve esoteric meanings, while ecstatic utterances (shaṭaḥāt) were understood as expressions arising from states of spiritual absorption. The primary sources of Sufism remain the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the spiritual states of the Companions and Successors, while its essential elements include initiation (bayʿah), the spiritual guide (shaykh), the disciple (murīd), and the khānqāh as a center of training. Overall, Sufism presents a holistic framework that integrates metaphysics, spirituality, ethics, and social responsibility in the pursuit of proximity to God.