The formation of the Sufi movement in Islam arose after the death of Muhammad as a reaction to the lack of personal connectivity to Allah that many followers experienced. These constituents of Islam believed in its' sacred texts, but felt that orthodox Islam was spiritually oppressive. Rather then perceive their existence as a product of Allah's want to be worshipped, pioneering Sufis desired to find divine love through a direct and personal link. This view contrasts with the traditional Islamic belief that the correct way to appease and relate to Allah is to submit to him through worship, rather then engage spiritual enlightenment to establish a dialogue. In stating "I am the creative truth", Hallaj summarized the fundamental beliefs of Sufism. As this quote's significance is the summation of the Sufi's problems with Islam, Hallaj was executed by Islamic authorities for this statement. It is likely that Islamic followers erred in understanding the context of Hallaj's declaration, believing that he meant that he was Allah himself. My understanding of this quote is that Allah is the ultimate definition of reality and by spiritually connecting to Him one can interpret reality in the way that He can.
             A Sufi is a Muslim who practices Islam but incorporates other practices that are derived from other religions. It is speculated that Sufism came from the Persians, non-Muslims who altered the revelations of God by Muhammad to better suit their pre-existing way of life. Most Muslims believe that Sufis are less stringent Muslims, but this is a misconception. A Sufi's religious goals do not differ in ideology with Islam. Special emphasis and technique are the differences between the two. Islam demands total submission to God. Sufis believe in submission, but in a more personal sense. The inner nafs need to be controlled in both Islam and Sufism. Sufism's approach is to emphasize the personal struggle of subd...