Abstract
Religion is a sophisticated phenomenon with individual and social functions. Religion, which is an individual’s belief and worship life, the view of the universe, the sense of surrender to the creator and the effort to understand the world above the emotions, has been present wherever humanity exists and has shaped the individual's view of life in every period. Religion, which provides the emergence of a special type of social relation, first settles in the consciousness of the individual and takes root, and then creates a community / society-forming effect.
Sufism, which is an interpretation of Islam, played the role of an intermediary institution in fulfilling the individual and social functions of Islam. The religious structures that emerged as asceticism in the history of Islam and continued their existence as Sufi movements have led to the survival of the contents of worship, morality and etiquette at the individual and social level for centuries. Sufi movements, which played a role in the institutionalization of a number of Islamic practices such as repentance, patience, tawakkul and sincerity, became the means of socialization, building social identity, developing social solidarity awareness, establishing a spirit of brotherhood, social integration and reaching spiritual satisfaction.
Sufism, which means living in accordance with the orders of the Qur’an and the sunnah of the Prophet, means inner wisdom, good morals and cleanliness of the heart. In Sufism, which is to surrender to Allah by fighting against nafs and thus live the desired Islamic life, worship is done for the sake of Allah. Sufism, which is a spiritual purification and inner wisdom of conscious, is a wisdom which mentions about Allah's essence, attributes and names and their manifestations. Sufism, which prioritized practices such as following the book and sunnah, obeying orders and prohibitions, purifying the soul and purifying the heart, gained a theoretical and philosophical dimension with Ibn al-Arabi.