Sufism Ethics Essay — Beda Eastman

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October 2025

This essay discusses the relation of Sufism (Islamic Mysticism) to Islamic Law in the context of ethics.

Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam which has formally existed since the eighth century and stems back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Though it is its own branch of scholarship and practice, with a unique system of tariqat (Orders), chains of shaykhs and transmissions of teachings, it has always been integrated into Muslim communities alongside schools of Islamic Law. Sufism has historically been the wellspring of Islamic expressions of art, poetry, and music, and has had influence over education and politics in many communities (Elias, 1998). Sufi practitioners aim to purify the heart and detach from the ego in order to become close to God in this world, and ultimately achieve unity with Him. The tenet of Sufism is ihsan – spiritual excellence – or doing what is beautiful; the third of the trifecta of the foundational principles of the religion, with the first two being islam and iman – how you worship and what you believe (Murata & Chittick, 1994). Essentially, Sufism gives soul to and cultivates love for the way one worships and submits to God. Islamic Law or shari’ah is instead developed based on the first two principles. Shari’ah provides ethical and legal guidelines for Muslims, based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, for all aspects of life; how to worship, how to conduct business and personal relationships, and punishment for crimes. A common assumption about Sufism is that it neglects following the shari’ah in its experiential and emotion-based approach to connecting with the Divine. Consequently Islamic fundamentalists have strived to suppress Sufism and stigmatise its practices, branding it as an external innovation (Khan, 2025). While this nonadherence to shari’ah has been the case in its early days, and still in some tariqat today, Sufism actually emphasises a high level of discipline in its theology. Many Orders teach the importance of following Islamic Law as part of the process of controlling the ego and purifying the heart. All beings are connected by our origin with the Divine Essence, warranting kind and equal treatment; and Sufism’s emphasis on love and gratitude nurtures sincerity of intention; so “immoral action is simply not an option in principle for the Sufi adept” (Heck, 2006, pg. 260). Because of this, Sufism becomes the ultimate moral journey; a devotion to ethical behaviour out of genuine desire to do good.

In Sufism, God is the ultimate Reality, and all creation is emanated from Him, and will return to Him. This leads to a perspective on creation – and thus of all human beings – of equality, acceptance of pluralism, and kindness to all. The Qur’an states: “O Humanity! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul” (4:1). The esoteric Sufi interpretation of this verse “deduces from it the intrinsic unity of the cosmos, which is constituted as a single universal being” (Burckhardt, 2008, p. 32). This idea is represented in Ibn Arabi's (1165 - 1240 CE) concept of wahdat al-wujud – Unity of Being – that there is “nothing other than God” and all things are “merely a reflection of the One” (Akbar, 2016, p. 46). In the Qur’an there is also a description of the creation of Adam, the first human, wherein God “breathed into” him “a spirit of His Own” (32:9). Thus there is the understanding that the human soul is a part of the Divine; transcendent in nature, and interconnected with the soul of each being. The ethical implications of this Oneness of creation is that all peoples are made in the best form and deserving of respect. Unlike other sects of Islam, Sufism is not exclusive, it does not differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims, instead it views all religions as pathways to reunion with God (Murata & Chittick, 1994). “Diversity is drowned or extinguished” by the “essential Unity” of all things (Burckhardt, 2008, p. 18). Ibn Arabi, for example, wrote that we should be “utterly receptive to all doctrinal forms, for God … is too All-Embracing and Great to be confined within one creed”; furthermore, all religions have “divine origin” (Akbar, 2016, p. 47). There is no hierarchy based on faith, creed, race, or any other temporary category of the physical world. As Akbar (2016, p. 47) poetically describes it, “the Truth indeed does not travel in a specific line.” The pluralistic yet unifying understanding of existence in Sufism advocates adherence to ethical teachings which will support equality, such as instruction in the shari’ah to care for the poor and orphans (Qur’an 2:215), to feed one’s neighbours (Hadith Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 112), or to disregard prejudices (Hadith Musnad Ahmad 21407). But ultimately, it advocates a collective acceptance which will transcend any particular structure and maintain itself in any context.

Love and gratitude towards God are primary themes within Sufism which strengthen a person’s willingness to submit to His law. Instead of following shari’ah for reasons of self gain, like fear of hell or wanting reward, a Sufi desires to act in the best way for the sake of God alone. The Sufi saint Rabia Al-Adawiyya (713 - 801 CE) famously said: “O my Lord, if I worship Thee from fear of hell, burn me in hell, and if I worship Thee from hope of Paradise, exclude me thence, but if I worship Thee for Thine own sake then withhold not from me Thine Eternal Beauty” (Smith, 1928, p. 50). For an action to have “any moral worth” there cannot be an “I”; “ascetical self-renunciation” is required, replaced by altruistic sincerity (Heck, 2006, p. 258). As per the concept of ihsan, one should not only “be aware of God’s presence and act appropriately” (i.e within the shari’ah) but also “intend appropriately” and act well in God’s name (Murata & Chittick, 1994, p. 278). This level of selflessness is fostered through embodying gratitude towards God, who is the “divine benefactor,” the source of all blessings (Khalil, 2016, p. 178). A Sufi is in a constant state of remembering God and acknowledging that He is the origin of all things; this gratitude is felt in the heart, expressed on the tongue, and enacted by obedience to God (Khalil, 2016). A Sufi wants to be a grateful servant, and so adheres to shari’ah out of pure devotion; and sees the purpose of blessings as a means to become closer to God. Showing gratitude to God by obeying His decree also extends to expressing thankfulness towards other people, because fulfilling the “rights” of God’s creation is one of the ethical responsibilities He has bestowed upon us (Khalil, 2016, p. 171). The Prophet Muhammad is recorded as saying, “he has not shown gratitude to God who has not shown gratitude to people” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4811). In Sufism, “human virtue” is cemented in “one’s relationship with God” (Khalil, 2016, p. 171), so the ethics of a Sufi is grounded in Islamic Law. The Sufi’s relationship with God is also, above all else, one of love. Sufi poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207 - 1273 CE) saw life as a journey to reunion with the Beloved, where succumbing to unethical behaviours is a “hindrance” on that path; one must “shackle” the self and its desires with the “chain” of love (Zarrabi-Zadeh, 2014, p. 57). Love is synonymous with God; love is Reality, and Rumi wished for annihilation and selflessness in that love.

The shackling of the self (nafs) that Rumi spoke of is the core of Sufi practice and the application of its ethical framework. In order to achieve the goal of union with God, one must perfect their character in reflection of God’s “divine image,” which requires the “abandonment of vices” and “fulfilment of virtues” (Sameh, 2020, p. 18). According to Murata & Chittick (1994, p. 306), “Sufism is all adab” – with adab meaning to “discipline … the soul” to behave in “correct modes” of conduct; and fundamentally, following the Sunnah of the Prophet and thus shari’ah. Methodologies have been developed in each tariqa to assist the student of Sufism to “advance on the spiritual path”; to discipline oneself, control the nafs, refine one’s character and develop virtuous qualities. In particular, prominent Sufi scholars such as Al-Ghazali (1058 - 1111 CE) and Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi (1564 - 1624 CE) preached a reformed version of Sufism that strictly observes shari’ah law. For these figures, Sufism should not be seen as something separate from traditional Islam, rather, it is “an essentially Islamic phenomenon, an authentic expression of the Islamic spirit” (Ansari, 1986, p. 61). Sirhindi sought to align Sufi practice with the “Prophetic way” and differentiated himself from less orthodox interpretations, such as Ibn Arabi’s wahdat al-wujud (Ansari, 1986). He defined shari’ah as “everything which God has prescribed directly or through the Prophet” and taught that it is a “comprehensive system” leaving no need for one to stray beyond it; and most importantly, that it is necessary to embody the shari’ah to attain the pleasure and contentment of God (Ansari, 1986, p. 71). The shari’ah is the perfect and self-sufficient structure to assist the Sufi’s striving against the nafs. Mystical practices are thus performed and understood within the confines of the shari’ah, so Sufism by nature functions within the ethical composition of Islamic Law.

Sirhindi’s reforms left a powerful legacy on the manifestation of Sufism in the modern world. Tariqat following his teachings are known as Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi, meaning the ‘renewed’ or ‘revived’ branch of the Naqshbandi Order, and Sirhindi himself is named the ‘Renewer of the Second Millenium’ (Elias, 1998, p. 607). His legacy – and subsequently that of the form of Sufism that complies to the shari’ah’s ethical rules – is exampled in the success of a particular Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi “Sufi lineage” which spread from India to the West in the 20th century, and then flourished on a global scale, with “groups on every inhabited continent” (Asbury, 2022, p. 4). Because this tariqa teaches Sirhindi’s theory and practice, it has influenced a “re-orthodoxisation of Sufism in the West” and internationally (Asbury, 2022, p. 5). Hazrat Azad Rasool (1920 - 2006 CE), the Shaykh who initiated the global spread of his Order, wrote about the goal of Sufism in “ethics-oriented terms” (Asbury, 2022, p. 6): “to transform the seeker into a highly humane and moral person by building the seeker’s character through spiritual training.” Purification of the self and heart, “moral etiquette” and ihsan – doing what is beautiful – are also mentioned, alongside annihilation and “subsistence” in God, but it is clear that the journey to God is framed in a distinctly ethical spirit. Rasool (2002, p. 60) also says about following the shari’ah: “there is no Sufism other than Islamic Sufism. Any mystical practice cut off from its source in revealed religion will lose vitality, just as any tree cut from its roots will die.” For Orders such as these, Sufism and Islamic Law are inexorably linked, and shari’ah is an essential part of the Sufi path.

The relationship between Sufism and shari’ah in the context of ethics is layered and cohesive. Shari’ah acts as a tool for the Sufi’s disciplining of the self and attainment of good moral character; and Sufism produces pure and genuine motives for behaving ethically in adherence to the shari’ah. Because of the pluralistic and accepting nature of Sufism, Islamic Law is not a requisite for salvation, and it is true that many Sufi shaykhs and tariqat have not felt it necessary to observe. Nonetheless, both Sufism and shari’ah can work together to uplift an individual in their endeavour to become a moral person. Shari’ah gives structure to Sufi practice and grounds it in its roots within Islam; this is reflected in the thriving of Islamic Sufism across the world. The foundations of love and gratitude in Sufism bring beauty to the technical and ritual parts of the religion: “ihsan adds to islam and iman a focus on intentionality. It directs human beings to reorient their desiring and their choosing on the basis of an awareness of God’s presence in all things” (Murata & Chittick, 1994, p. 288). When Sufism and shari’ah are united, a moral ethos of sincerity is formed; a striving towards goodness in all areas of one’s life, and for all peoples, with an intention that is born within the heart.

Reference List

Akbar, A. (2016). Looking at Ibn ‘Arabi’s Notion of Wahdat al-Wujud as a Basis for Plural Path to God. Journal of Islamic Studies and Culture, 4(1), 45–51. https://doi.org/10.15640/jisc.v4n1a6

Ansari, M. A. H. (1986). Sufism and Shari’ah: A Study of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi’s Effort to Reform Sufism. Islamic Foundation.

Asbury, M. E. (2022). Naqshbandi Mujaddidi Mysticism in the West: The Case of Azad Rasool and His Heirs. Religions, 13(8), 690. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13080690

Burckhardt, T. (2008). Introduction to Sufi Doctrine. World Wisdom. (Original work published 1959)

Elias, J. J. (1998). Sufism. Iranian Studies, 31(3/4), 595–613.

Heck, P. L. (2006). Mysticism as Morality: The Case of Sufism. The Journal of Religious Ethics, 2, 253–286.

Khalil, A. (2016). The Embodiment of Gratitude (Shukr) in Sufi Ethics. Studia Islamica, 111(2), 159–178. https://doi.org/10.1163/19585705-12341337

Khan, D. A. M. (2025). The Role of Sufism in Countering Extremism: A Diplomatic Perspective. Al Khadim Research Journal of Islamic Culture and Civilization, 6(1), 1–12.

Murata, S., & Chittick, W. C. (1994). The Vision of Islam. Paragon House.

Rasool, A. (2002). Turning Toward the Heart: Awakening to the Sufi Way. Fons Vitae.

Sameh, A. (2020). Slaying the ego: moral education of the Self in Sufism and its relations to virtue ethics [Master’s Thesis, the American University in Cairo].

Smith, M. (1928). Rābiʻa the Mystic & her fellow-saints in Islam. The University Press.

Zarrabi-Zadeh, S. (2014). Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī’s Mysticism of Love-based Annihilation. Mawlana Rumi Review, 5, 26–72.

“As long as my soul stays in my body,
I am a slave of the Qur’an and the dust on the path of Muhammad, the Chosen One.
If someone interprets my words in any other way,
That person I deplore, and I deplore his words.”

- Jalal ud-Din Rumi