What is Sufism?

If anyone asks what Sufism is, what kind of religion it is, the answer is that Sufism is the religion of the heart, the religion in which the thing of primary importance is to seek God in the heart of humankind.   

Hazarat Inyat Khan                                                                                                                                Cited in Mystical Hours

Wayne Teasdale gives us more of the background about contemporary Sufism”

“Hazat Inyat Khan, father of Pir Vilayat Khan, and the founder of the Sufi Order of The West, was also a brilliant writer and spiritual master. Sufism is at the heart of Islam, the enlightened understanding and practice that grows in one who discovers the Divine experientially, by turning within. Sufism is the surrender to the way of Divine Love.

This surrender to Allah’s love is the key to the Quran, at least to those who are awakened to the mystical life in Islam. The Sufi always seeks the path of peace, because that is what love does and requires. Sufi’s mystics are sensitive to the Divine Presence in our deepest being in the heart in our capacity for selfless love, a love that is derived from Allah and is Allah.”

Ever since my introduction to Sufism and its devotional practices in the 1970’s, my most lasting impressions come from the practice of Zhikr/Dhikr. It, was through my introduction to the timeless poetry and inspirational verse of Hafiz, Rumi, Rabia, and to some further extent, Kabir and maybe Tagore.

Sufis, as a whole, are considered misfits and outcasts among the far more dominant and unrelenting directives or strict behavioral rules that the followers of more orthodox Islam are expected to closely follow. As a quick parallel, it might be similar to the Hasidics within Judaism: they are faithful to the teachings, but allow for more individual creative expressions, body prayers, and dance!  

I have had profound awakening from the practice of The Zhikr, or sacred dance/movement ritual. A way of movement that can take one deeply into the unconscious or into the realms of devotion that supersede ego and individual thoughts. Some of my more mystical experiences came from the all day practice of 9 forms of Zhikr that were taught to me…

Later, when I discovered the now widely popular, worldwide phenomena of the Dances of Universal Peace-that were originally Sufi inspired by Sam Lewis-Dance has continued to be included in my favorite assortment of spiritual practices. In fact, I tried to seed or introduce the Dances in every congregation I served!

Religion, and church communities in general, are a very heady brunch! Because the dancing and singing involved are both simple and profoundly moving, I sought to enrich my congregation so that they could share in the experiences that have brought me so much joy and delight! 

You see, I have always found it disconcerting and disappointing that a majority of religious liberals and Protestants in general seems to prefer, or seem to limit themselves, to passively observing what spirituality could mean; Religious ideas and spiritual practices for them happen only from the neck up!