The Origins Of Sufism, commonly considered Islamic mysticism, date as far back as the Prophet Muhammad (570–632), who left the legacy of Islam to the world.
Though its practice was already in existence during Muhammad's time, the term Sufism appeared about two centuries after Muhammad. Those who would come to identify themselves as Sufis developed a conviction that the Islamic leadership of the day was not upholding the original teachings of Islam. Thus the Sufi movement began with the desire to return to what was understood to be original Islam and to maintain and make available an esoteric interpretation of the teachings to those who had an interest.
Even before becoming an organized institution, Sufism spread throughout the Muslim world. By the ninth century, various Sufi Orders, or Brotherhoods, had come into existence, and in time the Orders became better established.
