Sufism or taṣawwuf (Arabic: تصوّف‎) is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfī (صُوفِيّ).

Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God". Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba, "a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one's inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits".

Classical Sufis were characterised by their attachment to dhikr (a practice of repeating the names of God) and asceticism. Sufism gained adherents among a number of Muslims as a reaction against the worldliness of the early Umayyad Caliphate (661-750 CE). Sufis have spanned several continents and cultures over a millennium, at first expressed through Arabic, then through Persian, Turkish and a dozen other languages. "Orders" (ṭuruq), which are either Sunnī or Shī'ī or mixed in doctrine, trace many of their original precepts from the Islamic Prophet Muhammad through his cousin 'Alī, with the notable exception of the Naqshbandi who trace their origins through the first Caliph, Abu Bakr. Other exclusive schools of Sufism describe themselves as distinctly Sufi. Modern Sufis often perform dhikr after the conclusion of prayers.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Punjabi: نصرت فتح علی خان (Shahmukhī)) (October 13, 1948 – August 16, 1997), a world-renowned Pakistani musician, was primarily a singer of Qawwali, the devotional music of the Sufis (a mystical tradition within Islam). Considered one of the greatest singers ever recorded, he possessed a six-octave vocal range^{[citation needed]} and could perform at a high level of intensity for several hours. Extending the 600-year old Qawwali tradition of his family, Khan is widely credited with introducing Sufi music to international audiences. He was popularly known as "Shahenshah-e-Qawwali", meaning "The King of Kings of Qawwali".

Born in Faisalabad, Pakistan, Khan had his first public performance at age of 16, at his father's chelum. He officially became the head of the family qawwali party in 1971, and was signed by Oriental Star Agencies (OSA), Birmingham, U.K., in the early 1980s. In subsequent years, Khan released movie scores and albums for various labels in Pakistan, Europe, Japan and the U.S. He engaged in collaborations and experiments with Western artists, becoming a well-known world music artist in the process. He toured extensively, performing in over 40 countries.

Anandmurti Gurumaa (Devnagari: आनन्दमूर्ति गुरुमाँ Punjabi: ਅਨੰਦ੍ਮੁਰਤੀ ਮਾਂ), also known as Gurumaa born in Amritsar, Punjab India, is a New Age spiritual guide. She is respected by followers of many faiths including Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Sufism. Her message transcends gender, religious, political, geographic and material boundaries. She claims to be well versed with varied subjects like Zen, Buddhism, Art, Upanishad, Yoga and fuses scientific aptitude with ancient wisdom which enables her to take a pragmatic approach to life and its varied shades.

Anandmurti means “an embodiment of Divine Bliss” and Gurumaa means “Master Mother” in Hindi. Gurumaa teaches the disciplines of meditation, yoga, present moment awareness and self realisation, using meditation techniques from yoga, zen, tantra, sufism, sikhism, buddhism and devised methods. Gurumaa's core teachings include meditation, self realisation, evolving consciousness and non-duality.

Gurumaa was born on the 8 April 1966 at Amritsar in Punjab, India. She was educated in a convent school and did graduation in arts. In her childhood she used to accompany her mother to spiritual discourses, gatherings, satsangs. She would also have assemblies of sadhus coming home. Some of the friendly mahatmas would pick her to speak to.

Sanam Marvi (Urdu: صنم ماروی) (born 1986) is a Sindhi folk and sufi singer. She sings in Urdu, Sindhi and Saraiki languages.

Sanam Marvi was born in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan in a Sindhi family. Her father's name is Faqeer Ghulam Rasool, a sufi singer. She had eight siblings. She started training at the age of seven and used to accompany her father to his performances at various shrines of sufis in Pakistan, including Sindh and Punjab. She later trained under Ustad Fateh Ali Khan of Gwalior gharana.

Sanam Marvi debuted at ‘Virsa Heritage’, a programme on PTV. She became popular after her performance at Coke Studio, a Pakistani television series featuring live music performances. She has since appeared in two seasons of the Coke studio.

She perform sufi concerts around the world. She is among the finest performers in the Sufi, ghazal and folk genres She sings compositions of Allama Iqbal, Baba Bulleh Shah, Baba Sheikh Farid, Alam Lohar, Sachal Sarmast, the Sufi mystic from Sindh, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh (10 December 1926 - 10 October 2008) was the Master (pir) of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order from 1953 until his death. He was also a psychiatrist and a successful writer in the fields of both psychiatry and Sufi mysticism.

Dr. Nurbakhsh was born in the city of Kerman, Iran on 10 December 1926. He was initiated into the Nimatullahi sufi order at the age of sixteen and appointed its sheikh at twenty. Nurbakhsh studied at University of Tehran's medical school, receiving his doctorate in psychiatry in 1952, from the Sorbonne. He began his professional career as a medical doctor at the age of 26 when he became head of a local hospital in the southeastern town of Bam, Iran. In the following year he succeeded his master, Mo'nes 'Ali Shah Zo'r-Riyasateyn, as master of the Nimatullahi, taking the Sufi sobriquet of Nur 'Ali Shah.

As well as his revival of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order and his many written works, Dr. Nurbakhsh became one of Iran's foremost psychiatrists. Dr. Nurbakhsh believed that all are equal in love. According to his obituary in Payvan's Iran news, he "promoted the creed of fraternity and equality of all human beings, regardless of gender, race, nationality and religion."