THE INFLUENCE OF SUFISM ON ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY AND CULTURE

Abstract

Sufism is the name of a devotional and philosophical approach to Islam that, historically speaking, represents a form of mysticism within the Islamic tradition. Sufism began relatively early in the history of Islam, influenced by certain Arabic ascetics among subsequent generations. The first generation to tread this path were Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Zunnun al-Edhem, al-Hasan al-Basri and Ibrahim ibn Adham Balkhi. In the following years, it quickly spread and became popular. By the 5th/11th centuries it took a more organized form. These early ascetics in the classical Islamic tradition were alchemists- in a spiritual sense- for turning base human nature (nufs) into pure metal, that is, for humans to rid themselves of material wishes, sensory urge and sexual desire. The masters and followers of this line of Sufism are called “Darwishes” over the centuries. The heart of the Sufism is “Suf” which means clean like in the Turkish or Persian and “sufya” in Arabic that means wool, where the famous dervish cloths made from wool use to be worn.

Keywords: Sufism, Islamic Philosophy, Culture, Material Wishes