--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We view Sufism not as an ideology that…" description: "\"We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science that can exert a beneficial influenc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg" --- # We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the… ![“We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science that can exert a beneficial influence on individuals and societies, in accordance with the needs of those individuals and societies ... Sufi study and development gives one capacities…” quote by Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg) > “We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science that can exert a beneficial influence on individuals and societies, in accordance with the needs of those individuals and societies ... Sufi study and development gives one capacities one did not have before.” [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage frames Sufism as a flexible, beneficial practice rather than a rigid doctrine, emphasizing its capacity to develop personal capacities tailored to individual and societal needs. **In simple terms:** Sufism is a practical art, not a strict creed. Key Takeaway Spiritual practices can be adaptive tools. Themes spirituality personal development flexibility cultural adaptation psychology Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical explanatory When to use this quote - mindfulness workshops - interfaith dialogues - self‑improvement programs Key Concepts non‑dogmatic growth human potential Practical Applications - Integrate Sufi techniques for emotional regulation - Design curricula that adapt spiritual tools to modern contexts Questions to Reflect On - How can spiritual traditions stay relevant without losing core identity? - What limits exist for adapting mystical practices to secular goals? A Different Perspective The claim may overlook the deep theological roots and communal aspects of Sufism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hindu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hindu/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individuals and society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuals-and-society/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Sufi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufi/) [Sufism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufism/) ## Related quotes > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“A book, for the Sufis, is an instrument as much as it is something to give information…The key is the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/a-book-for-the-sufis-is-an-instrument-as-much-as-it-is-something-to/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism," according to the Sufi, "is an adventure in living, necessary adventure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-according-to-the-sufi-is-an-adventure-in-living-necessary/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“The Sufis say, "This is not a religion; it is religion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-sufis-say-this-is-not-a-religion-it-is-religion/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“One of the basic Sufi needs is to enable people to see themselves as they really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/one-of-the-basic-sufi-needs-is-to-enable-people-to-see-themselves-as/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is the essence of all religions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-the-essence-of-all-religions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“The Sufi way is through knowledge and practice, not through intellect and talk. As Prince Dara Shikoh says, in a Persian poem: Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-sufi-way-is-through-knowledge-and-practice-not-through-intellect/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Abu-Yaqub al-Susi: the Sufi is 'One who does not care when something is taken from him, but who does not cease to seek for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/abu-yaqub-al-susi-the-sufi-is-one-who-does-not-care-when-something-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The Sufi is One who does not care when something is taken from him, but who does not cease to seek for what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-sufi-is-one-who-does-not-care-when-something-is-taken-from-him/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The sufis believe that they can experience something more complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-sufis-believe-that-they-can-experience-something-more-complete/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“The Sufi teacher’s mission is to be in the service of those who can learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-sufi-teacher-s-mission-is-to-be-in-the-service-of-those-who-can/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“It is a Sufi contention that truth is not discovered or maintained by the mere repetition of teachings. It can only be kept understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/it-is-a-sufi-contention-that-truth-is-not-discovered-or-maintained-by/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [It is the message, not the man, which is important to the Sufis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/it-is-the-message-not-the-man-which-is-important-to-the-sufis/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-transmitted-by-means-of-the-human-exemplar-the-teacher/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism, the "secret tradition," is not available on the basis of assumptions which belong to another world, the world of intellect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-the-secret-tradition-is-not-available-on-the-basis-of/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## More by Idries Shah > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-transmitted-by-means-of-the-human-exemplar-the-teacher/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“No existe práctica en aislamiento.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/no-existe-pr-ctica-en-aislamiento/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [A king who feared wasps once decreed that they were abolished. As it happened, they did him no harm. But he was eventually stung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/a-king-who-feared-wasps-once-decreed-that-they-were-abolished-as-it/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Do not tell your secrets to everyone in this headquarters, Earth. We have surveyed it well. There was nobody to whom to entrust secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/do-not-tell-your-secrets-to-everyone-in-this-headquarters-earth-we/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufis are those who have expunged from their minds the human tendencies of envy and enmity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufis-are-those-who-have-expunged-from-their-minds-the-human/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Yes, the world is an illusion. But Truth is always being shown there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/yes-the-world-is-an-illusion-but-truth-is-always-being-shown-there/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [It is the message, not the man, which is important to the Sufis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/it-is-the-message-not-the-man-which-is-important-to-the-sufis/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The human being, whether he realises it or not, is trusting someone or something every moment of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-human-being-whether-he-realises-it-or-not-is-trusting-someone-or/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Who is the wrong person to criticise? You”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/who-is-the-wrong-person-to-criticise-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“You may be able to get the bone down your throat But if it reaches your stomach it will tear your navel. (Gulistan)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/you-may-be-able-to-get-the-bone-down-your-throat-but-if-it-reaches/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“People are always trying to understand. There is only one way to do that. It is to discover < + i + >why< +…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/people-are-always-trying-to-understand-there-is-only-one-way-to-do/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [ “Saadi: Be a true renouncer, (zahid) and \[you can even\] ware satin.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/saadi-be-a-true-renouncer-zahid-and-you-can-even-ware-satin/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) [Explore all 365 Idries Shah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or science that can exert a beneficial influence on individuals and societies, in accordance with the needs of those individuals and societies ... Sufi study and development gives one capacities one did not have before.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Idries Shah" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8f/idries-shah-450_action_we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-m_113495.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We view Sufism not as an ideology that molds people to the right way of belief or action, but as an art or…” — Idries Shah", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Idries Shah", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We view Sufism not as an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/we-view-sufism-not-as-an-ideology-that-molds-people-to-the-right-way/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```