Taqwa (Piety)
Taqwa is derived from wiqaya, which means self-defense and avoidance. Sufis define it as protecting oneself from God’s…
Sufism
107 articles
Zuhd (Asceticism)
Zuhd, which literally means renouncing worldly pleasures and resisting carnal desires, is defined by Sufis as indifference to…
Raja (Hope or Expectation)
For a Sufi, Raja means waiting for that which he or she wholeheartedly desires to come into existence,…
Khawf and Khashya (Fear and Reverence)
In Sufism, khawf (fear) denotes abstaining not only from all that is forbidden, but also from deeds from…
Huzn (Sadness or Sorrow)
Sufis use the word huzn (sadness) as the opposite of rejoicing and joy, and to express the pain…
Qalb (Heart) – 2
Belief is the life of the heart; worship is the blood flowing in its veins; and reflection, self-supervision,…
Qalb (Heart) – 1
In the words of Ibrahim Haqqi of Erzurum: The heart is the home of God; purify it from…
Hal and Maqam (State and Station)
Hal (state) denotes experiencing in one’s inner world the “breaths” blowing from the realms beyond the world, and…
Firar and I’tisam (Fleeing and Taking Shelter)
Firar, which literally means to run away from something, is used in Sufism to denote the journey from…
Tafakkur (Reflection)
Tafakkur literally means to think on a subject deeply, systematically, and in great detail. In this context, it…
Muhasaba (Self-Criticism or Self-Interrogation)
The word muhasaba literally means reckoning, settling accounts, and self-interrogation. In a spiritual context, however, it takes on…
Tawba (Repentance), Inaba (Sincere Penitence), and Awba (Turning to God in Contrition)
I HAVE REPENTED AND TURNED TO GOD SO SINCERELY THAT I WILL NOT BREAK [THE VOW OF REPENTANCE]…
What is Sufism?
Q: What is Sufism? A: Sufism is a path followed by Sufis (adherents of Islamic mysticism) to reach…
Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation
Thomas Petriano, Ph.D, is the chairperson of the Religious Studies Department of St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue, NY.…
Sufism and Quantum Physics
Sufism and quantum theory have several things in common. For example, Sufis and physicists have very similar views…