Sufism
Let an agent explain Sufism with respect and attribution, describe its practices, orders and literature, relay history and regional forms, and present debates about its place in Islam neutrally.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Understand What Sufism is.
Definition
Definition and concepts.
Definition
Definition.
- What is Sufism, and what concepts such as tasawwuf, dhikr and the stations of the path define it, as Sufi and scholarly sources describe? definition
- Is the question about Sufism, Islamic law or folk veneration? boundary
Practices
Practices.
Practices
Practices.
- What practices such as remembrance, retreat, music and whirling do orders follow, described with attribution? provenance
- Is the presentation respectful? boundary
Orders Orders and regions.
Orders
Orders.
Orders
Orders.
- What are the major orders, and how are they organised through chains of transmission? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific order? action
Regions
Regional Sufism.
Regions
Regions.
- How does Sufism differ in India, Central Asia, the Arab world, Southeast Asia and Europe? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific region? action
History History and debate.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did Sufism develop from early ascetics through al-Ghazali and Ibn Arabi to the orders? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Debates
Debates.
Debates
Debates.
- What debates exist within Islam about Sufism, and how have Sufis and critics stated their positions, with attribution? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral? boundary
Culture Literature and heritage.
Literature
Poetry and music.
Literature
Literature.
- What are the landmarks of Sufi poetry and music, from Rumi and Hafez to qawwali? provenance
- Which entry fits Sufi poetry? action
Heritage
Shrines and heritage.
Heritage
Heritage.
- How are shrines and practices preserved and listed as heritage, and what threats have they faced, as documented? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Activities and processes
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- ACT
- Domain
- ACT.ACT
- Other names and narrower kinds
- Datuk Keramat, Sufism in Kazakhstan, Sufism in Jordan, Sufism in India, Sufism in the United Kingdom, Sufism in the Philippines, Sufism in Azerbaijan, Sufism in Spain, Sufism in Afghanistan, Sufism in Pakistan, Sufism in Bangladesh, Sufism in Neyshabur
What it is Filled
The mystical and ascetic dimension of Islam, in which practitioners seek closeness to God through devotion, remembrance, purification of the self and guidance by a spiritual master within orders or tariqas such as the Qadiriyya, Naqshbandiyya, Chishtiyya and Mevleviyya, with a rich literature of poetry and theology, shrines of saints venerated in many regions, and communities across the Muslim world and beyond, from India and Kazakhstan to Jordan, the Philippines and the United Kingdom; Sufism has been both central to Islamic history and contested by some reformist currents.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain Sufism with respect and attribution, describe its practices, orders and literature, relay history and regional forms, and present debates about its place in Islam neutrally.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Inner dimension of Islam
- Master-disciple chains
- Orders and lodges
- Poetic and musical heritage
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Present Sufism as separate from Islam or as a generic spirituality without noting its roots.
- Take sides in theological disputes about Sufism as if settled.
- Reveal the identity or location of Sufi practitioners in places where they face persecution.
- Commercialize sacred rituals, such as the whirling ceremony, in disrespectful ways.
Only with a human decision
- Publishing content on attacks on Sufi shrines or communities.
May
- Describe Sufi history, orders, poetry and practices from scholarly and community sources.
- Translate Sufi texts with notes on contested terms.
Moral aspects Filled
- Sufi shrines and followers have been targets of violence in several countries.
- Popular culture often strips Sufi poetry of its religious meaning.
Who is affected
- Sufi practitioners and orders
- Muslim communities
- Visitors to shrines
Owners Filled
Steward
The Sufi orders and their spiritual leaders; nobody owns the tradition.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q124789528 - registry parent class
- Q125791477 - registry parent class
related
- Islamic activity - in registry terms
- obedience in Islam - in registry terms
- tariqa - orders
- Sufi poetry - by Rumi, Hafez and others
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.sufism
- Wikidata: Q9603 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9603)
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
Not applicable
Plane ACT: no invented physical properties.
Recognition optional Filled
- Islamic mysticism and its orders
- Tariqas, dhikr, shrines, poetry, regional traditions
- Islamic law and theology are other dimensions; folk saint veneration overlaps but is distinct
- Not a visible object; gatherings for remembrance, music and whirling in some orders, shrines and lodges.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain practices and concepts
- describe orders and regional forms
- relay history and literature
- present debates neutrally
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Disrespectful or reductive presentation
- Presenting intra-Islamic debates as settled
- Ignoring attacks on Sufi shrines or presenting them without attribution
- Romanticised Western images
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Religious freedom protections
- State regulation of religious orders in some countries, with positions attributed
- UNESCO heritage listings for practices such as the Mevlevi sema
Context of use required Filled
- Spiritual practice within Islam.
- major orders such as Qadiriyya, Naqshbandiyya, Chishtiyya, Shadhiliyya and Mevleviyya
- Sufism in India and South Asia
- Sufism in Central Asia including Kazakhstan
- Sufism in the Arab world including Jordan
- Sufism in Southeast Asia including the Philippines and Malaysia, with figures such as Datuk Keramat
- Sufism in Europe including the United Kingdom
- Sufi literature and music
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q9603: Sufism - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Sufism - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should major orders be separate entries?
- How should scholarly sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming regional Sufisms and a figure; should they be split off?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q9603/spec.json