Sunni Islamic

Mysticism

In the 11th century, Sufism, which had previously been a less "codified" trend in Islamic piety, began to be "ordered and crystallized" into Tariqahs (orders) which have continued until the present day. All these orders were founded by a major Sunni Islamic saint, and some of the largest and most widespread included the Qadiriyya (after Abdul-Qadir Gilani [died 1166]), the Rifa'iyya (after Ahmed al-Rifa'i [died 1182]), the Chishtiyya (after Moinuddin Chishti [died 1236]), the Shadiliyya (after Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili [died 1258]), and the Naqshbandiyya (after Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari [died 1389]). Contrary to popular Orientalist depictions, neither the founders of these orders nor their followers considered themselves to be anything other than orthodox Sunni Muslims, Many of the most eminent defenders of Islamic orthodoxy, such as 'Abd al-Qadir Jilani, Al-Ghazali, Sultan Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Al-Ayyubi (Saladin) were connected with Sufism". The Salafi and Wahhabi strands of Sunnism do not accept many mystical practices associated with the contemporary Sufi orders.