Difference Between Islam and Sufism

Islam and Sufism are viewed by non- Muslims as one and the same religion but it has a subtle difference. Religion is considered as a fundamental aspect in life, since it fosters goodwill and unity. The beliefs of a supreme being have long been established since the early days and up until now it continuous its journey. One interesting religion though is Islam and its mystic side, Sufism.

Sufism

Sufism is an almost exclusive part of Islam that not many can understand. It is mainly a mystical group under Islam, it is not considered as an ethnic or religious group. Its growth is largely due to the rigid legalism of the orthodox leadership and as an alternative to the rather growing materialism of the Muslim population. The main point for Sufism is the belief of pure love to God as himself, with no hope for redemption or reward.

Islam

Islam is the second largest religion in the world, with its population amounting to over a billion worldwide. It believes that Allah is the only God and they follow the doctrines of Qur’an, their sacred scripture. It started when the Angel Jibril, gave Prophet Muhammad the book of Revelation. Its main teachings include the belief that they should not worship anyone else but Allah, observance of Salah or ritual prayer, fasting, and abstaining from certain foods.

Difference between Islam and Sufism

Basically, Sufism is under Islam. It is an esoteric part of the religion which searches for ways to express direct love to God and possesses a mystical knowledge of this act. It provides an important aspect in the propagation of Islam to new regions since most Sufi’s are great missionaries who are relentless to preach their belief and educate the masses in terms of providing their spiritual meaning to their lives. Their main teaching revolves around unconditional love to God, while Islam established a set of teaching that represents all the aspects in a person’s life. Islam is focuses more on the wholeness of the individual and how they can attain peace of mind amidst adversities.

Despite the differences, both aim to create a better spiritual life to everyone. They are both geared to self discovery and unselfish love, not just to God but also other people as well. It really doesn’t matter what are the differences, as long as we all believe in peace, harmony and solidarity.