Do many/most/nearly all Muslims consider Sufis to be Muslim? Or are they thought of as too 'mystical' or something? I've never actually met any, have read a small bit, but not enough to know the general opionion.
"Sufis," as per my understanding, are Muslims, and I was once explained that "true Sufism is perfection of Sunni Islam." And I'm actually consistently inspired by Sufic teachings. Some of the most inspiring Sufi figures I find is Imam Ghazali, Ibn Arabi, Rumi, Abdul Qadir Jilani, and others (may Allah bless them infinitely).
Some Sufis, however, are fraudsters and charlatans in our time; this is sad but a reality of some Sufi Muslims. Some even go as far as to make haram halal and halal haram in a blatant disregard of shariah (Islamic law); in such a case, such Sufis Muslims' claims of representing Islam is rejected. To give you an example, I'd once read on an Internet board that a son was extremely frustrated with his parents who would not pray or fast or do any of the obligatory or mandatory acts of Islam because this person's family had a "Pir" ("Sufi Master") who said that he'd be doing all of this on behalf of the family and so they did not need to expend any physical effort on doing any spiritual rituals themselves. This is of course a corruption of both Sufism, shariah, and Islam, and such a "Pir" is a charlatan and fraudster.
Historically, we know Sufi Muslims were the most perfect on shariah (Islamic law), but they understood shariah's heart to be ihsan (excellence in worship) and therefore they concentrated on rectifying the self as part of tasawwuf (Islamic spirituality) that requires tazkiyat-an-nafs (purification of the self). Though previously I've this before on the board, but it bears repeating that shariah is like the roof and the walls of the house and ihsan, tasawwuf, tazkiyat-an-nafs, akhlaaq (character) is like the beautiful furnishings and decor that make the house a "home."
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I have been sent to perfect noble character.” Shariah serves the purpose of making believers aware of their legal limits in how to live and observe deen (religion) in their daily life, but it is really the other aspects that I've enumerated that lead one to perfect and ennoble and humble one's character and manners as a true servant of God and to people.
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(peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I have been sent to perfect noble character.” Shariah serves the purpose of making believers aware of their legal limits in how to live and observe deen (religion) in their daily life, but it is really the other aspects that I've enumerated that lead one to perfect and ennoble and humble one's character and manners as a true servant of God and to people.
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