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Sufism, Orthodox Islam, and Yoga > Page1
As there has been a notable Sufi mystical tradition in Islam, a number of people have used this to regard Mohammed as an illumined sage. Sufis like Rumi appear to have been great mystics, if not God-realized sages on par with the great yogis, and some would assume that Mohammed, whom most Sufis revere, must have been of the same understanding.
This view is enhanced by the fact that today, particularly in the West or in India, there are Sufis who proclaim the unity of all religions, and some who believe in Karma and rebirth, practice vegetarianism, and otherwise appear more as part of the yogic tradition than what most people, including Muslims, would consider to be representative of Islam.
The view assumes two points that are questionable, even by Muslims. The first is that a Sufi-type mysticism was represented by Mohammed himself. The second is that Sufi mysticism is of the same nature as yogic traditions. Most Muslims do not accept that Mohammed, or Islam based upon him, is in harmony with Sufism. In fact, orthodox Islam generally opposes the Sufies.
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