What or who is a Sufi? (tradition, doctrine, scriptures, Almighty)

[LoveroftheBeloved]

I was first introduced to Sufism while researching a project on Encarta 2003. The poetry and particularly the way the Sufi poets refered to God as 'Beloved' was very strange ( I had been raised up to fear God as the Almighty) and yet also very beautiful. I found some Sufi music and also began to look for Sufi poetry on the net. I believe in the 'Beloved' as the Supreme being who is both one with the universe but also transcends it. To me this being is both father and mother and I believe that universal love is the most important doctrine of all. I am aware of the fact that there are traditional Sufi sects which lean towards orthodox Islam and universal Sufism which is as Islamic as it is Christian or Judaic for that matter. What I am asking to anyone who knows but particularly to people who consider themselves to be Sufis is 'what or who is a Sufi'.

[Comet]

http://www.arches.uga.edu/~godlas/Sufism.html

That is one website that may help you out a bit. I am not a Sufi, so I can't really answer any better than that. Sorry.

[john313]

it sounds like you are a closet sufi a good place to check out is hashmalah .
the sufis i know are very generous and loving people, they follow all universal truths and study many scriptures, not just 1 book. any questions you have about sufis can be answered in complete detail at hashlamah.org.

peace, love, and john denver