The title Sufi came later, but the reality to which this name points is not something new.
During the time of پیغمبرِ خدا صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, people were not called Sufi, عالم, حافظ, قاری, فقیہ, محدث, or مفسر. The greatest distinction of that era was to attain the blessed companionship of حضور سرورِ عالم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Whoever was granted this companionship became known as a صحابی, and this was the greatest honor and description by which the people of that age were recognized.
In the generation after them, the greatest virtue became attaining the companionship of the صحابہ کرام. Therefore, the people of that era were called تابعی. After them came the generation whose distinction was to have attained the companionship of the تابعین, and thus they became known as تبع تابعین.
After
Read more [...]
Allah تعالیٰ says:
“وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا”(Surah Al-‘Ankabūt)
Meaning: Those who strive in Our path — We shall surely guide them to Our ways.
With complete اعتمادِ کلّی upon this Divine promise, the Sufis engage in مجاہدہ and thereby attain guidance. Guidance depends upon شرحِ صدر, and شرحِ صدر results from those Divine lights (انوارِ الٰہی) which descend from the unseen upon the heart.
Through the blessings of these انوارِ الٰہی, and through the wisdom that springs forth in the chest due to زہد فی الدنیا and قلتِ کلام, the Sufi attains from Allah a بصیرت from which others remain deprived. They are granted such understanding and perception as lies beyond the reach of ordinary people. By means of this بصیرت, Read more [...] 
The essence of Tasawwuf is Ihsān, which is expressed through true and sincere توجه الی اللہ. رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم described Ihsān in these words:
“اَن تَعبُدَ اللہَ کَاَنَّکَ تَراهُ، فَاِن لَم تَکُن تَراهُ فَاِنَّهُ یَراکَ”
(Meaning: That you worship Allah as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then indeed He sees you.)
All forms of knowledge, actions, and spiritual states which are necessary or beneficial for رجوع الی اللہ come under Tasawwuf. All meanings and realities of Tasawwuf ultimately return to this very foundation, which in the terminology of Shariyah is called Ihsān.
The foundation of all outward and inward perfections is to keep the heart purified from everything besides Allah, and to allow none except the محبوبِ حقیقی to