Sources

The Sufi Orders in Islam

Citation Formats

General Reference

Divinity Atlas. "The Sufi Orders in Islam." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-sufi-orders-in-islam.

APA Style

Divinity Atlas. (n.d.). The Sufi Orders in Islam. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-sufi-orders-in-islam

BibTeX

@misc{divinityatlas-the-sufi-orders-in-islam,
  author = {Divinity Atlas},
  title = {The Sufi Orders in Islam},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-sufi-orders-in-islam},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

J. Spencer Trimingham traces the historical formation, structure and spread of the organized Sufi orders, the tariqas, using each order's own documented lineage and institutional history rather than describing Sufism as one undifferentiated movement, which is the book's real analytical contribution. First published in 1971, its account of any individual order's structure predates more than fifty years of subsequent regional scholarship, and this record has not independently traced which of its specific claims later specialists have revised. It is a strong source for the historical organization and named identity of specific Sufi orders. A claim about a specific order's current practice or recent history is better supported by a more current source alongside it.

Facts

Citation

Author

J. Spencer Trimingham

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Publication Year

1971

URL

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-sufi-orders-in-islam-9780195120585

Source Type

academic monograph

Assessment

Reliability Tier

A standard scholarly survey of the Sufi orders from a university press, covering their formation and spread across the Islamic world.

Notes

Standard scholarly survey of the tariqas; added for named Sufi orders, 2026-07-22.

Claims Backed By This Source (770 claims)

This source backs 770 claims across the atlas. As facts: 421 well-attested, 5 scholarly debate, 3 open question. As cited relationships: 218 holds, 9 connected, 1 critiqued Here, 2 rejected Here, 3 held Differently. Plus 108 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.

Disposition By Topic

Religious Orders, 162 claims: 48 well-attested, 99 holds, 1 connected, 1 critiqued Here, 2 rejected Here, 3 held Differently, 8 general references.
Articles, 131 claims: 107 well-attested, 1 holds, 7 connected, 16 general references.
Religious Organization & Structure, 88 claims: 46 well-attested, 26 holds, 16 general references.
Organizations, 69 claims: 44 well-attested, 15 holds, 10 general references.
Historical Figures, 55 claims: 27 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate, 3 open question, 14 holds, 9 general references.
Beliefs & Restrictions, 50 claims: 36 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 13 general references.
Religious Roles & Titles, 41 claims: 12 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 21 holds, 7 general references.
Doctrines, 36 claims: 8 well-attested, 20 holds, 8 general references.
Denominations, 29 claims: 17 well-attested, 11 holds, 1 general references.
Open Questions, 25 claims: 19 well-attested, 2 holds, 1 connected, 3 general references.
Practices, 25 claims: 22 well-attested, 3 general references.
Sacred Objects & Ritual Items, 13 claims: 8 well-attested, 3 holds, 2 general references.
Sacred Sites, 12 claims: 3 well-attested, 5 holds, 4 general references.
Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
Subtle Energies, 7 claims: 5 well-attested, 1 scholarly debate, 1 general references.
Mantras, 6 claims: 5 well-attested, 1 general references.
Figures, 5 claims: 4 well-attested, 1 general references.
Rituals, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
Cities, 2 claims: 2 general references.
Disciplines, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
Regions, 1 claims: 1 general references.