There are two theories as to what the word Sufi means. The first believes that the word is derived from “safa” which means purity as the Sufis were seen as the “people of purity” (ahl al-tasawwuf).  

The other theory sees it as coming from the word “sūf” meaning wool, as Sufis were known to wear harsh garments out of wool for ascetical reasons. 

Most Muslim scholars historically opted for the second meaning. 

Sufism, in its essence, is about purifying the heart from spiritual diseases, including pride, hatred, anger, jealousy, preferring worldly matters over God and so on and so forth. It is also a practice of unceasingly remembering God.  

Furthermore, Sufism also holds that Islam contains outward knowledge, but also inside spiritual knowledge that is transferred from teacher to student.  

If understood this way, Sufism begins with the Prophet Muhammad (s) himself.  It is therefore no wonder that all Sufi groups trace their religious orders back to Imam Ali (as). 

They trace it back to Imam Ali (as) as he was the first man to transfer and teach the Prophet’s (s) teachings on inner purification and inner spiritual knowledge to the public after the Messenger of Allah’s (s) death. 

As history went on, and as more teachers taught students, Sufism broke into different groups. These different groups eventually turned into spiritual orders called tarīqas with their own spiritual leaders called shaykhs.