Not all religious sects under the veil of Islam are the same, although they are obviously very similar. One interesting issue is that the Islamic ways are often practiced much differently in different reasons, and there are a number of reasons for this. One reason is because so few people in many of these regions can read or write, so they rely on an elder, cleric, or master to explain the Koran, teachings, or religious worshiping rituals to them.
Obviously, all this second hand teaching causes a huge number offshoots, interpretations, and of course, there is the occasional religious guru who uses it as a control mechanism. Now then, let’s spend a few minutes to talk about Sufism, a spiritual offshoot of Islam. If you are unfamiliar with this, perhaps you might wish to go to Wikipedia, read about Sufism and then come back to this article for our brief discussion, as there is a rather comprehensive webpage there with all the history of Sufism.
Now then, permit me if I will to start this dialogue and offer up some philosophical concepts and questions. You see, it appears to me that this “sect” for lack of a better word, I guess, seems to be all over the place, and in some of Sufism history it appears to be a “cult” like religion, and in other practicing ways, in some places it is practice. It appears to be an attempt at purity, which is in line with the teachings of so many religions.
It turns out that many of the other sects of Islam do not like Sufism, in fact, in Iran there have been several crack-downs on those who practice this branch of Islam. Why you ask? Well, since the Fall of the Shaw of Iran much has changed, and religious tolerance for much of anything that might challenge the authority there is frowned upon. “Frowned Upon” you ask, well, that’s putting it mildly, and when I say “cracked-down on” by the government, realize they get rather hostile and put people in prison, have them disappear, or beat them silly.
What makes Sufism rather interesting is that it has a mystical flare to it. Due to this fact it is a shoe in many parts of the world. Nevertheless make no mistake it still uses Islamic Law and Sharia Law as its foundational base. Why is this offshoot of Islam important, well, because some believe it might be a gateway to a better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. Indeed, it preaches annihilation of ego, and giving up one’s self for God. Perhaps, this may be of interest to you?