A question was asked. What is Sufism? To answer this question I would rather rephrase it as what is tasawwuf within Islam itself, rather than treating Sufism as something separate from Islam.
Sufism in brief can be defined as “The Path of Submission to Allah”
Sufism, or tasawwuf, is a dimension of Islam concerned with the purification of the human being and the cultivation of a heart that willingly submits to the will of Allah. Its purpose is not to create a religion separate from Islam, but to bring the servant more deeply into the reality of Islam: submission (islām), faith (īmān), and excellence (iḥsān).
Islam begins with submission. A Muslim submits his outward actions to the commands of Allah: he prays, fasts, gives zakat, fulfils his responsibilities and avoids what Allah has prohibited. Tasawwuf seeks to take this submission further—into the heart, intention, character and inner life of the servant.
The central question of the Sufi path is therefore not simply:
“What do I want?”
but:
“What does Allah want from me?”
The movement of the seeker is from the rule of the nafs to servanthood to Allah. The nafs seeks recognition, possession, control, praise and gratification. Through tazkiyat al-nafs—the purification of the self—the servant learns to recognise these tendencies and gradually releases his attachment to them.
The Qur’an says:
“Indeed, successful is the one who purifies it, and failed is the one who corrupts it.”
(Qur’an 91:9–10)
Thus, the Sufi path is fundamentally a process of purification, remembrance and transformation.
From outward Islam to inward Ihsan
The famous Hadith of Jibril gives us a framework for understanding this journey. Islam concerns submission through practice; iman concerns belief; and ihsan is:
“To worship Allah as though you see Him, and if you do not see Him, know that He sees you.”
This consciousness of Allah (muraqabah) changes the quality of everything a person does. Prayer is no longer merely an obligation; it becomes an encounter of the servant with his Lord. Dhikr is no longer merely repetition of words; it becomes the awakening of the heart to the One who is constantly present.
Allah says:
“Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquillity.”
(Qur’an 13:28)
The purpose is transformation of character
Tasawwuf is therefore not merely about spiritual experiences, unusual knowledge or mystical terminology. Its evidence should appear in the character and conduct of the person.
The seeker is trained to move:
from anger to patience,
from arrogance to humility,
from greed to generosity,
from resentment to forgiveness,
from heedlessness to remembrance,
from dependence upon creation to dependence upon Allah,
and from self-centredness to service.
The closer the servant becomes to Allah, the more his life should manifest rahmah, adab, humility, justice and service to others.
This is why the Prophet ﷺ said:
“I was only sent to perfect noble character.”
Submission does not mean abandoning the world
Sufi submission to Allah does not necessarily mean withdrawing from family, society, work or worldly responsibility. Rather, it means bringing all of these under the guidance of Allah.
A farmer can cultivate the earth as an act of worship.
A teacher can teach for the sake of Allah.
A parent can raise children as an amanah.
A businessman can conduct trade without riba, deception or injustice.
A leader can lead as a servant rather than seeking personal power.
The question is not whether one lives in the world, but whether the world lives in one’s heart.
The struggle with the nafs
The Sufi tradition places great emphasis on the struggle against the lower tendencies of the self. The seeker learns that one of the greatest obstacles between himself and Allah is his attachment to his own ego—his “I”.
The path therefore involves mujahadah: disciplined struggle against the tendencies that prevent sincere servanthood.
This does not mean destroying the human personality. Rather, it means placing the self in its proper position:
Allah is the Lord.
I am the servant.
When this understanding becomes real in the heart, worship ceases to be merely an external performance. It becomes a way of life.
Dhikr: returning the heart to Allah
At the heart of many Sufi traditions is dhikrullah, remembrance of Allah. The human being becomes heedless because attention is constantly captured by the world, desires and the ego. Dhikr repeatedly turns the heart back towards Allah.
The Qur’an says:
“O you who believe, remember Allah with abundant remembrance.”
(Qur’an 33:41)
Through consistent dhikr, companionship with the righteous, study, worship and service, the seeker gradually develops a heart that remembers Allah not only during formal gatherings, but throughout ordinary life.
The ultimate destination: becoming a true servant
The culmination of the Sufi path is not to become someone extraordinary in the eyes of people. It is to become a true ’abd, a servant of Allah.
The Qur’an describes the purpose of human existence:
“I did not create jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
(Qur’an 51:56)
Therefore, tasawwuf can be understood as a discipline of making this servanthood real in the heart.
The journey can be expressed simply:
Know Allah → know yourself → purify the nafs → remember Allah → cultivate adab → surrender your will → serve His creation → live as His servant.
In this sense, Sufism is not an escape from Islam but a deepening of one’s submission to Allah. It seeks to transform Islam from something merely performed by the limbs into something that is understood by the mind, believed by the heart, expressed through character and lived through every aspect of one’s existence.
The final measure of the path is therefore not how much one speaks about spirituality, but how completely one has learned to say, with heart and action:
“O Allah, not my will, but Your will.”
Allah possesses perfect knowledge, and guidance ultimately belongs to Him. Let us look at several āyāt from the Qur’an related to the vast and perfect knowledge of Allah.
Through the knowledge granted by Allah, we come to recognise our own limitations and our complete dependence upon Him. True knowledge should lead us back to Allah SWT. It should not increase the ego, but rather deepen our humility, submission and awareness of our servanthood.
Knowledge is from Allah, guidance is from Allah, and ultimately, our journey is a return to Allah.
Allah is the All-Knowing
وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“And Allah is Knowing of all things.”
Surah al-Baqarah 2:282
This establishes that Allah’s knowledge encompasses everything—what is apparent and hidden, what has happened and what will happen.
Allah knows what is in the hearts
وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
“And Allah is Knowing of what is within the breasts.”
Surah Āl ʿImrān 3:154
For the people of tasawuf, this is especially important: Allah does not merely know our outward actions; He knows the intentions, desires, fears and conditions of the heart.
Allah knows, while we do not know
وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
“Perhaps you dislike something and it is good for you; and perhaps you love something and it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know.”
Surah al-Baqarah 2:216
This is a powerful foundation for taslīm—submission. The servant accepts that his own knowledge is limited while Allah’s knowledge is perfect.
Allah guides whom He wills
وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ
“But Allah guides whom He wills.”
Surah al-Baqarah 2:272
This reminds us that guidance is ultimately a gift and favour from Allah, not something a person can claim solely through his own intelligence or effort.
Allah guides those who turn to Him
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“And those who strive for Us—We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with those who do good.”
Surah al-ʿAnkabūt 29:69
This āyah beautifully connects mujāhadah and guidance. The seeker makes the effort, struggles against the nafs and turns towards Allah; Allah opens the way.
Allah guides the hearts of those who believe
وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“And whoever believes in Allah—He guides his heart. And Allah is Knowing of all things.”
Surah al-Taghābun 64:11
This is particularly relevant to your discussion of tasawwuf because it places guidance directly in relation to the heart.
Allah can guide even when human beings cannot
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ
“Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.”
Surah al-Qaṣaṣ 28:56
This is a profound reminder of the limits of human influence. Even someone deeply loved cannot be guided merely because another person wishes it.
Taken together, these ayat give us an important principle for tasawwuf:
Allah knows.
We do not know.
Allah guides.
We ask for guidance.
We strive.
Allah opens the way.
We surrender our will to His wisdom.
This is precisely why the opening of the Qur’an places the central supplication at the heart of every ṣalāh:
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
“Guide us to the Straight Path.”
Surah al-Fātiḥah 1:6
The seeker therefore never regards himself as someone who has “arrived.” He remains a faqīr before Allah—dependent upon Him for knowledge, guidance, purification and ultimately every breath of existence.
To conclude we declare our submission and doa:
“Ya Allah, You know and I do not know. You see what I cannot see. Guide us to what pleases You, purify our hearts from what separates us from You, and make us servant of Your will.” Ameen.
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