The Islamic World to 1600
Within both Sunni and Shi'a Islam there are divisions between mystics, called Sufis, and non-mystics. Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam that developed alongside orthodox Islam in the 7th century. Sufis seek a direct knowledge of God, or a more personal relationship through a spiritual journey that transcends human limitations. Most medieval Sufis gave up all material possessions and left their families to become wandering ascetics. The material world is not important to a Sufi because for him, God is everything. Some refused to speak, because they did not believe that the human vocabulary was capable of conveying their love for and devotion to God. Sufism is based on the idea that the soul has fallen from its source, and is caught in a human body. Human life consists of a constant yearning of the soul to be reunited with its divine source, and thus the human body is not considered important. Sufis live for Allah, not themselves, and are usually willing to discard their human forms in order to meet Allah. Many welcome death for this reason.
While always a minority movement, Sufism did gain followers within Islam, and there were many Sufi orders travelling around the Islamic world. Because it sought truth and unity with God, Sufism also became a significant part of Islamic philosophy. Many Muslims believe that Sufism is heretical, however, because of its belief in the possibility of achieving true knowledge of Allah. It was a major factor in Islamic debates over doctrine.
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