The first person to take the name of Sufi was Abou-Hachim of Koufa. The first convent or _Khanakah_ was founded in Khorasan by Abou-Said, the Persian, although the prophet had prohibited monkish life in Islam. Another convent was established at Ramia, in Syria, and Saladin founded one in Egypt. Sufism then was divided into two schools: The Persian Bestâmi (A.D. 875) inclined towards Pantheism; Djonaid, of Bagdad, preached a system reconcilable with Musulman dogmatism. One of the most celebrated doctors of this school was Halladj, burnt alive in A.D. 922. They discoursed upon Sufism under the Kalifs Al-Motazz and Al-Mohtadi, and preached it under Al-Motamid. The principal Sufi writers are: Mohammed Salami an Nichabouri (A.D. 1021), El-Kochairi (A.D. 1072), Ghazli (A.D. 1111), Sohrawdi (A.D. 1234), Ferid-ed-din Attar (A.D. 1230), Djami (A.D. 1492), and Ech-Cha'rani (A.D. 1565).
This Mysticism, so sweet and so full of sentiment, exhales itself in poesy, and is as much stamped with tenderness and resignation as it is overflowing with sensuality and drunkenness. The best and most illustrious of the Persian poets are of this sect: Djelal-ed-din er-Roumi, author of the «_Mesnewi_», Djami, author of «_Salaman ou-Absa_», Ferid-ed-din Attar, author of «_Mantik-ut-tair_»; S'adi, Hafiz de Chiraz, Bayazid-al-Bestami.
Just as Sufis leave the true faith for its semblance, so they also exchange the external features of all things for the internal (the corporeal for the spiritual) and give a spiritual significance to outward forms. They behold objects of a precious nature in their natural character, and for this reason, the greater part of their words have a spiritual and visionary meaning.
For instance, when, like Omar, they mention wine, they mean a knowledge of God, which, extensively considered, is the love of God. Wine, viewed extensively, is also love: love and affection are here the same thing. The wine-shop with them means the _murshid i kiamil_ (spiritual director), for his heart is said to be the depository of the love of God; the wine-cup is the _telkin_ (the pronunciation of the name of God in a declaration of faith as: There is no God but Allah), or it signifies the words which flow from the _murshid's_ mouth respecting divine knowledge, and which, heard by the _salik_ (the Dervish, or one who pursues the true path), intoxicates his soul, and divests his mind (of passions) giving him pure, spiritual delight.