From Zuhd to Tariqah: The Story of Sufism

Overview

Sufism is one of the most debated and misunderstood traditions within Islam — praised by some as the heart of the faith, dismissed by others as a deviation from it. This course takes a close, honest look at where that debate actually comes from.

Over the coming sessions, we’ll trace how Sufism developed across more than a thousand years: from its earliest roots in the piety and asceticism of the Sahabah and early generations, through the emergence of formal orders and structured practices, to the philosophical debates that would come to define — and divide — the tradition.

We won’t take the easy route of either praising or dismissing it wholesale. Instead, we’ll examine the evidences scholars have drawn from the Quran and sunnah in support of key Sufi concepts and practices, alongside the strongest arguments raised against them. Where did ideas like dhikr, spiritual companionship, and stages of the heart come from — and where is the evidence solid? Where did later philosophical developments, like debates around fana and wahdat al-wujud, push beyond what the earliest generations recognised — and why did serious scholars push back?

This isn’t a course designed to make up your mind for you. It’s designed to equip you to engage with the sources and the arguments yourself, with clarity instead of assumption — whether you come in sympathetic to Sufism, skeptical of it, or simply curious.

By the end, you’ll have a grounded understanding of how the tradition developed, the key figures and turning points along the way, and the tools to evaluate its practices and philosophy against the Quran and sunnah with confidence.

No prior background is required — just an open mind and a willingness to sit with complexity.