Sufism, Morals & Ethics

Sufism has thousands of definitions and meanings. However the following three point to its different aspects:

• "Its beginning is the knowledge (Ma`rifa) of Allah and its end is His unification (Tauheed)." (Abu Bakr Al-Shibli)
• "It is "being dead to one`s self and alive in Allah". (Junayd al-Baghdadi)
• "Sufism teaches one to purify one`s self, improve one`s morals, and build up one`s inner and outer life in order to attain perpetual bliss. Its subject matter is the purification of the soul and its end or aim is the attainment of eternal felicity and blessedness." (Zakariyya Ansari)

These three definitions - the first pertaining to the intellect, the second to a state of being (hal), and the third to ethics (akhlaq) - cover the major concerns of the Sufi quest.