WHAT IS A SUFI? By Hazrat Inayat Khan

What is a Sufi? Strictly speaking, every seeker after the ultimate truth is really a Sufi, whether one calls oneself this or not. But as he/she seeks truth according to his/her own particular point of view, he/she often finds it difficult to believe that others, from their different points of view, are yet seeking the same truth, and always with success, though to a varying degree. That is in fact the point of view of the Sufi and it differs from others only in its constant endeavor to comprehend all others as within itself. It seeks to realize that every person following his/her own particular line in life, nevertheless fits into the scheme of the whole and finally attains not only his/her own goal, but the one final goal of all. Hence every person can be called a Sufi either as long as he/she is seeking to understand life, or as soon as he/she is willing to believe that every other human being will also find and touch the same ideal.

All beliefs are simply degrees of clearness of vision. All are part of one ocean of truth. The more this is realized, the easier is it to see the true relationship between all beliefs, and the wider does the vision of the one great ocean become.

Limitations and boundaries are inevitable in human life; forms and conventions are natural and necessary; but they none the less separate humanity. It is the wise who can meet one another beyond these boundaries.