Letters from a Sûfî Teacher

Sufism is a concept in Islam, defined by scholars as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. There are others who contend that it is a perennial philosophy of existence that pre-dates religion, the expression of which flowered within the Islamic religion. 


A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a sūfī. They belong to different turuq or 'orders', congregations formed around a master, which meet for spiritual sessions, in meeting places known as zawiyahs, khanqahs, or tekke.


All Sufi orders trace many of their original precepts from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib, with the notable exception of the Sunni Naqshbandi order who claim to trace their origins through the first sunni Caliph, Abu Bakr.


However, Alevi, Bektashi and Shia Muslims claim that every Sufi order traces its spiritual lineage back to one of the Twelve Imams, the spiritual heads of Islam who were foretold in the Hadith of the Twelve Successors and were all descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali. Because of this Ali ibn Abi Talib is also called the "father of Sufism". 


Sufis believe that they are practicing ihsan (perfection of worship) as revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad: "Worship and serve Allah as you are seeing Him and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you". Sufis consider themselves to be the original true proponents of this pure original form of Islam.


"Letters from a Sûfî Teacher" is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of Islam and what's happening in the Middle East.