Abstract
Many early Sufi literatures contain a section about adab (sing. adab). The word adab means ‘rules of conduct’, and adab consequently sometimes means ‘proper conduct’. Having the ethical nature, I think, adab is a very important concept for understanding the process in which Sufism had adapted itself to the Islamic Society.
This article treats Kitab Adab al-Muridin of Abu al-Najib al-Suhrawardi (1097-1166). This title can be translated into English as “Ethical and Practical rules for disciples”.
I tried to analyze the items in the book from the historical and sociological points of view.
His concept of Sufism can be illustrated above.
My conclusion is that this conformist structure of Sufism reflects the social position of its order in the civil society of Baghdad in 12th century.
