The Devils Deception by Imam Ibn AL-Jawzi

CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Devil's Deception of the $Ujis
We have discussed Iblis's deception of ascetic people. Some of
them are $iifts. However, $iifts have characteristics that set them aside.
Sufism started as a way of extreme asceticism. Later, its followers
practiced listening to songs and dancing. So lay people who seek the
Hereafter became fascinated with their asceticism, and the seekers
of this world became fascinated with their playfulness.
Therefore, it is important to expose Iblis's deception of them by
first discussing the origin of this group as well as its branches. And
Allah is the aid to reach the truth.
During the Prophet's (;I) time people's titles were either "mu'min"
or "mus/im". Then the titles of zahid (ascetic) and 'abid (worshiper)
came about and some people began practicing asceticism to the point
of abandoning worldly affairs. They developed their own ways and
adopted certain specific mannerisms. They claimed that a group of
people by the name $ufah ( U ) were the first to dedicate themselves
for Allah's pleasure in the mas;id al-ljaram. This was what al­
Walid Ibn al-Qasim said when he was asked about the origin of the
270