Mystics and Mysticism in Islam

The Prophet Mohammad had realized the presence of the supernatural in the universe. This tradition later on took the shape of Sufism in Islam. Sufism is the name given to the mystical movement within Islam; a Sufi is a Muslim who dedicates himself to the quest after mystical union (or, better said, reunion) with his creator. The name is Arabic in origin, being derived from the word suf meaning "wool"; the Sufis were distinguishable from their fellows by wearing a habit of coarse woolen cloth, in times when silks and brocades had become the fashion of the wealthy and mundane-minded, symbolic of their renunciation of worldly values and their abhorrence for physical comforts. Mystical awareness was certainly present in the Prophet Mohammad’s attitude to Allah, and "mystical" is an entirely appropriate adjective to describe his many experiences of a supernatural presence making contact through him with a new message to mankind.