The advent of Sufis to India dates back to the Arab conquest of Sind. It gained prominence 1 during the reign of the Delhi Sultans. Sufism found adherents among both Muslims and Hindus.

1. Sufism: The word Sufi takes its origin from suf, meaning wool. The Sufis wore course garments made of wool and hence they were called Sufis. Sufism was basically Islamic but was influenced by Hindu and Buddhist (Mahayana) ideas. It rejected the stringent conduct code of the ulemas. Sufis lived in hermitages akin to monasteries and functioned outside society.

2. Sufis in medieval India were divided into three major orders. They were Chisti, Suhrawardi and Firdausi.

3. The best known Sufi sage of the early medieval period was Nizamuddin Auliya of the Chishti order, who had a large number of followers among the ruling class in Delhi.

4. Suhrawardi order was founded by an Iranian Sufi Abdul-Wahid Abu Najib. The Firdausi order was a branch of Suhrawardi order and its activities were confined to Bihar.