The doctrine of Sufism was based on union with God which can be achieved through love of God, prayers, fasts and rituals without reference to Hindu or Muslims. It stressed that cultivation of religious experience should be based on the direct perception of God.

Islamic calligraphy is the artistic practice of handwriting and calligraphy, in the languages which use Arabic alphabet or the alphabets derived from it. It includes Arabic, Persian, Ottoman, and Indian calligraphy.

Calligraphy is the most highly regarded and most fundamental element of Islamic art. It is significant that the Qur’an, the book of God’s revelations to the Prophet Muhammad, was transmitted in Arabic, and that inherent within the Arabic script is the potential for developing a variety of ornamental forms.

The Principles of Sufism

• [Introduction] (pp. 1-5)
• The First Principle: Repentance (Tawbah) (pp. 6-35)
• The Second Principle: Sincerity (Ikhlāṣ) (pp. 36-61)
• The Third Principle: Remembrance (Dhikr) (pp. 62-95)
• The Fourth Principle: Love (Maḥabbah) (pp. 96-141)

While all Muslims are on a quest for inner peace, Sufis seek to lose themselves in the Divine. Fasting is an important stepping stone on this inner spiritual journey. Sufi saints perform the greatest form of fast, while others go without food, they exercise the fasting of their mind

Metaphysics. Major ideas in Sufi metaphysics have surrounded the concept of Wahdat or “Unity with God”. Two main Sufi philosophies prevail on this controversial topic. Wahdat-ul-Wujood (Unity of Being) essentially states that the only truth within the universe is God, and that all things exist within God only.

Baha-ud-Din Naqshband (1318-1389) of Turkestan founded Naqshbandi order of Sufism. Khwaja Razi-ud-Din Muhammad Baqi Billah whose tomb is in Delhi, introduced the Naqshbandi order in India. The essence of this order was insistence on rigid adherence to Sharia and nurturing love for the Prophet.

Sufism, known as tasawwuf in the Arabic-speaking world, is a form of Islamic mysticism that emphasizes introspection and spiritual closeness with God. While it is sometimes misunderstood as a sect of Islam, it is actually a broader style of worship that transcends sects, directing followers’ attention inward.

did you know? Most Sufis are Sunni Muslims. Sufi orders have influenced Islam in the Balkans from the time of the Middle Ages. Sufis are sometimes targets for fundamentalists and extremists such as the Islamic State, who see Sufism as heretical.

Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam, emphasizes universal love, peace, acceptance of various spiritual paths and a mystical union with the divine. Their dance is a traditional form of Sufi worship, a continuous twirling with one hand pointed upward reaching for the divine and the other hand pointed toward the ground.

Sufis, like all practicing Muslims, pray five times a day and must visit Mecca once in their lifetime if they have the means. Additionally, order-specific practices might include the repetition of phrases using a set of beads, periods of semi-isolation or visits to the shrines of local spiritual leaders

Sufis exist across the Islamic world and include both Sunnis and Shia. But they are vehemently – and violently – opposed by many hardline Sunni groups. In Egypt, there are about 15 million Sufis, who follow 77 “turuq” (orders).

Salat is the obligatory Muslim prayers, performed five times each day by Muslims. God ordered Muslims to pray at five set times of day: Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise

They strive for ihsan (perfection of worship), as detailed in a hadith: “Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him; if you can’t see Him, surely He sees you.” Sufis regard Muhammad as al-Insān al-Kāmil, the complete human who personifies the attributes of Absolute Reality, and view him as their ultimate spiritual …

Mysticism is the sense of some form of contact with the divine or transcendent, often understood in Christian tradition as involving union with God. Mysticism played an important role in the history of Christian religion and emerged as a living influence in modern times.

In Islam, however, the saints are represented in traditional texts as serving separate celestial functions, in a manner similar to the angels, and this is closely linked to the idea of a celestial hierarchy in which the various types of saints play different roles.

73 sects

The ancient schools of fiqh or sharia in Islam are known as “madhhabs.” In the beginning Islam was classically divided into three major sects. These political divisions are well known as Sunni Islam, Shia Islam and Khariji Islam.

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. Today, with about 900 million followers, Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam