Sufism and travelling

Motion is a fundamental feature of Sufism and other non-Islamic mystical traditions. The spiritual progress that each Sufi experiences as he obtains closeness and intimacy with God is usually described in terms of travelling along a route of ascent. Authors of Sufi textbooks differ in the terminology they use in their discussions of travelling fashions in early Sufism. Terminological differences are important indicators for theoretical and practical differences concerning travelling. The establishment of Sufi communal life contributed to changing the early Sufi principle according to which spiritual progress was accompanied with, or even conditioned by, physical movement. As a constantly changing institution of piety, Sufism embedded certain dynamics that helped establish the position of resident Sufism. Movement is a fundamental feature of Sufism, which manifested itself in Sufi literature and life. Sufis drew on certain rituals and notions known in Islamic tradition to create their own worldview.