question_answer 5)

What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?  

Answer:

Sufis were Muslim mystics. They rejected outward religiosity and emphasised love and devotion to God and compassion towards all fellow human beings. They often rejected the elaborate rituals and codes of behaviour demanded by Muslim religious scholars. They sought union with God. They believed that the heart can be trained to look at the world in a different way. They developed elaborate methods of training using zikr (chanting of a name or sacred formula), discussion of pasables, breath control, etc. under the guidance of a master or pir.