8th–9th c.
Ascetic and devotional roots
Early Muslim ascetics and worshippers developed reputations for intense devotion, renunciation and ethical seriousness.
A living timeline
History of Sufism
The history of Sufism is a layered history of devotional movements, teachers, institutions, poetry, scholarship and regional cultures. The timeline below is intentionally selective.
10th–12th c.
Language of the path
Terms such as maqamat, ahwal, ma'rifa and dhikr became more prominent in spiritual writing.
12th–13th c.
Orders, lodges and scholarship
Institutions and teaching lineages spread, with major figures including Abdul Qadir Gilani, Ibn Arabi and Rumi.
South Asia
Chishtis, Suhrawardis and others
Sufi lineages became influential in the religious and cultural life of South Asia, producing rich traditions of poetry, remembrance and service.
Early modern era
Poetry and vernacular expression
Punjabi, Urdu and other literary cultures carried mystical themes into local languages and performance traditions.
Today
Global readings
Sufi texts circulate in scholarship, translation, devotional communities, music and contemporary conversations on inner life.