Sufi Saint and Sufism

The Sufis laid emphasis upon free thought and liberal ideas. They were against formal worship, rigidity and fanaticism in religion. They turned to meditation in order to achieve religious satisfaction. Some of the early Sufis, such as the woman mystic Rabia (8th century) and Mansur Bin Hallaj (10th century) laid great emphasis on love as the bond between the God and the individual soul. Their views led them into conflict with the orthodox elements who had Mansur executed for heresy.