The Inner Dimension

Within Islam, Sufism emphasizes haqiqa (inner truth) alongside sharia (outer law). Many Sufi traditions treat prayer, fasting, charity, and law not as a shell to discard but as outward practices that protect and train the inward path. The kernel is direct awareness of God's presence, pursued through Islamic devotion rather than apart from it.

The word "Sufi" likely comes from suf (wool), referring to the rough woolen garments early Muslim ascetics wore. These seekers renounced material comfort to pursue a closer relationship with the divine. They were not rejecting the world.