Encyclopaedia of Sufism (Early Sufi Masters: Sharafuddin Maneri and Abdullah Ansari)

Conventionally the word "sufi" is considered synonymous with the word "mystic". But the word "sufi", as used in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu, has a religious connotation. The sufis claim to have inherited their (doctrines direct from the teachings of the holy Prophet, who, strictly speaking, has given no dogmatic or mystical theology. The classical Sufism of the early Brotherhoods was strong on simple, straightforward faith in Islamic theology, personal devotion to God and trust (taivakkul)