—these are the saved group; everyone else is astray, and—as the Prophet ﷺ informed us—every one of those sects is in the Fire.

The Sufi orders are, in fact, deviant and misguided paths—especially in our time—for most of them have strayed because they are at odds with what the Messenger ﷺ and his Companions were upon, and so they fall under the heading of the misguided sects. Indeed, their deviation may even reach the level of disbelief, for among them are the adherents of wahdat al-wujud (the doctrine of the “unity of existence”), who are the most disbelieving of people; they are either an offshoot or even the elite of Sufism. Likewise, within them are the hululiyya (those who claim that Allah indwells in His creation). Nowadays there are also the so-called “masters” who are worshipped instead of Allah: their disciples draw near to them with all kinds of acts of devotion, and when those masters die the disciples flock to their shrines and graves, offering various rites in the hope of gaining aid, succor, intercession, and the like.

If the masters are alive, their followers submit to their commands—commands that conflict with what the Prophet ﷺ brought—such as declaring the forbidden to be lawful, the lawful to be forbidden, and altering the sacred law and introducing ceremonies contrary to the practice of the Messenger ﷺ. Such practices are widespread in Sufi orders today.

We know of no Sufi order that can be called moderate; every Sufi order is deviant, though the degree of deviation varies from one to another.

In any case—whether Sufis or anyone else—whoever opposes the guidance and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is misguided and astray and falls under this severe warning. We ask Allah for safety and well-being.