MEL -Mysticism in Society Lesson

Mysticism in Society

Mysticism is a branch within the religion of Islam that focuses on rising above intellectual knowledge and embracing spiritual knowledge. People who practice mysticism in the Middle East are called Sufis and follow Sufi philosophy, or Sufism. The origin of the word "Sufi" translates to mean "purity" or "wool" and relates perfectly to Sufi's because they were called "the ones who wear wool on top of purity." The goal of Sufism is to meditate and purify the inner self in order to enter into the presence of the Divine. Sufism started as a reaction against the worldliness of certain Muslims, so during this process, the focus should be on nothing but God. By becoming inwardly focused on God, Sufis believe they practice the perfect form of worship outlined by Muhammad in the Qur'an.

Nonfiction

Remember that nonfiction texts are truthful accounts of people or subjects. Articles are types of nonfiction that appear in various newspapers, books, and magazines. When reading an academic article, do not read the text as a short story or novel. Academic articles need to be read more than once in order to understand the key points the author tries to make. So, do not just read straight through from beginning to end; make sure that as you read each paragraph, name the main idea, or point, the author tries to provide in order to understand the article as a whole.