Sufism and Islamic Mysticism (Islamic Study) MCQs

What is Sufism?

a) A branch of Sunni Islam

b) The mystical dimension of Islam

c) A sect within Shia Islam

d) The political aspect of Islam

Answer: b) The mystical dimension of Islam

Who is considered the founder of Sufism?

a) Imam Ghazali

b) Rumi

c) Ibn Arabi

d) Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

Answer: d) Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

Which term refers to the spiritual journey in Sufism?

a) Hajj

b) Shahada

c) Tariqah

d) Salat

Answer: c) Tariqah

What is the practice of dhikr in Sufism?

a) Charity

b) Pilgrimage

c) Remembrance of Allah through prayers or chants

d) Fasting

Answer: c) Remembrance of Allah through prayers or chants

Who are the Whirling Dervishes associated with?

a) Jalal ad-Din Rumi

b) Ibn Arabi

c) Al-Ghazali

d) Ibn Taymiyyah

Answer: a) Jalal ad-Din Rumi

What is the goal of Sufi practices such as meditation, chanting, and dancing?

a) To achieve political power

b) To attain a higher spiritual state and closeness to Allah

c) To accumulate wealth and material possessions

d) To gain knowledge of worldly affairs

Answer: b) To attain a higher spiritual state and closeness to Allah

Which Sufi order is associated with the Chishti lineage?

a) Qadiriyya

b) Naqshbandi

c) Suhrawardiyya

d) Chishtiyya

Answer: d) Chishtiyya

What does the term “Wali” signify in Sufism?

a) A spiritual guide or saint

b) A ritual prayer

c) A type of fast

d) A pilgrimage site

Answer: a) A spiritual guide or saint

What is the concept of “Fana” in Sufism?

a) The unity of God

b) The spiritual retreat of a Sufi

c) Annihilation of the self in the divine presence

d) A pilgrimage to Mecca

Answer: c) Annihilation of the self in the divine presence

Which famous Sufi saint is known as the “Friend of God”?

a) Al-Hallaj

b) Bayazid Bastami

c) Abdul-Qadir Gilani

d) Rabia al-Adawiyya

Answer: c) Abdul-Qadir Gilani