Tasawwuf in Islam – Meaning, Origin, and Ruling on Being Called a Sufi

Tasawwuf: Meaning, Origin, Founders, and the Sharʿi Ruling on Being Called a Sufi
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil – ʿAqāʾid ka Bayān, Vol. 1, p. 68

1. Linguistic Meaning of Tasawwuf​

The word tasawwuf is derived from ṣūf (صوف), meaning wool — referring to a person who wears woolen garments, avoiding worldly adornment.


Some scholars linked the term to ṣafāʾ (purity), ṣaff (row), or the Aṣḥāb al-Ṣuffah, but linguistically the most accurate origin is from ṣūf (wool).

2. Technical/Sharʿi Meaning of Tasawwuf​

In terminology, tasawwuf refers to a particular way of thinking and living that emphasizes:

• Detachment from worldly desires
• Zuhd and taqwā
• Abandoning base desires
• Striving for the maʿrifah (knowledge) and closeness of Allah ﷻ

Some describe it as tazkiyat al-nafs (purification of the soul) and islāḥ al-bāṭin (inner reform) alongside adherence to the outward obligations of Sharīʿah.

3. Historical Origin of Tasawwuf​

• Began in the early period of Islam among those who adopted extreme zuhd and devotion.
• Early Muslims — especially from among the Tābiʿīn and Tabiʿ al-Tābiʿīn — included individuals who distanced themselves from worldly affairs to focus on worship.
• Over time, this mindset evolved into an organized movement later termed tasawwuf.

4. Founders of Tasawwuf​

• Tasawwuf was not founded by a single individual; it emerged through gradual development.
• Some researchers consider Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110 AH) among the earliest of the Sufis.
• Eventually, various Sufi orders emerged — such as Qādiriyyah, Naqshbandiyyah, Chishtiyyah, Suhrawardiyyah — each with different founders.

5. Sharʿi Ruling on Being Called a “Sufi”​

Scholars differ on this:

• Permissible: If by “Sufi” one means living within Sharīʿah’s bounds, practicing zuhd and taqwā, purifying the soul, and seeking Allah’s pleasure.
• Impermissible: If “Sufism” involves beliefs or practices contrary to Sharīʿah — such as innovations, superstitions, or acts of shirk — then adopting or promoting such tasawwuf is prohibited, and calling oneself a “Sufi” in that sense should be avoided.

6. Recommended References for Further Study​

• Al-Tasawwuf — by ʿAllāmah Ihsān Ilāhī Ẓahīr (Shaheed)
• Al-Fikr al-Ṣūfī — by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd al-Khāliq
• Books on tasawwuf by Mawlānā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Kilānī

Summary:
Being called a “Sufi” is permissible if it refers to lawful zuhd and spiritual purification within the Sharīʿah framework. If it denotes innovation, shirk, or un-Islamic practices, it must be rejected.