Mystical movement of Islam that originated in the 8th century. Sufis believe that deep intuition is the only real guide to knowledge. The movement has a strong strain of asceticism. The name derives from Arabic suf, a rough woolen robe worn as an indication of disregard for material things. There are a number of groups or brotherhoods within Sufism, each with its own method of meditative practice, one of which is the whirling dance of the dervishes.
Sufism was originally influenced by the ascetics of the early Christian church, but later developed within the structure of orthodox Islam.