Sufism

Sufism is often referred to as “Islamic mysticism.” It is not a distinct sect of Islam but rather an approach to or discipline of practicing Islam, focusing on the purification of the inner self, striving to make a direct connection with or experience of God. Practitioners, or Sufis, frequently favor asceticism (abstinence from sensual pleasures), but they are also known for their delight in and devotion to God. Whirling dervishes are practitioners of Sufism. The intensely emotional poems of the Persian Sufi poet Rumi still inspire those across many spiritual paths worldwide today.