A Survey on the Notion of Piety in Sufism according to the Narrations of the Innocent Imams (PBUT), up to the End of 4th Century (A.H)

One of the most essential notions of Islamic ethics is piety, being emphasized many times by the heads of the religion who directly or indirectly encouraged every Muslim to attempt to acquire it. On the other hand, piety is the foundation, essential notion and the first component of Sufism on which several books were written by Sufis. Now, the question that is raised here is that: to what extent are these two styles of piety similar or different? Sufis had well noticed the fact that the realization of any other admirable virtue in the spirit of human being and reaching eternal salvation as a result was not possible unless through practicing piety, lack of which resulting in the emergence of many immoralities. Moreover, piety has a special position in the Hadithes and Narrations of Imams in which the results mentioned for its realization or non-realization are similar to those pointed by the Sufis. Some of the results for realization of piety are: generosity, munificence, wisdom, while some for its non-realization are jealousy, niggardliness and weak faith. This research demonstrates that throughout the first four centuries of Islam, Sufistic piety is very similar to how it is defined by the School of the Household of the Prophet; although, it contains some intemperance that has no place in that of Imams.