Sufism and Asceticism Backgrounds in Hassan Basri's Belief

Sufism in Islam has double features: the old feature, a type of Sufism which came to being among Muslims in early centuries; later feature that current Muslims have made up.Hassan Basri is known to be the most outstanding figure of ascetic Sufism in first and second centuries Hegira. Though asceticism is not the only source of Sufism, one can trace the ascetism background in other people's resources as well as Islamic trainings. Hassan Basri is an ascetic who was inspired in terms of asceticism and Sufism by both the beliefs and notions of other nations and Koranic trainings as well as tradition and behavior of the Prophet and well known disciples of his time. Thus, the study of his Sufism and ascetism will remove any contrary remarks said about such an Islamic outstanding figure. In addition, the incentive behind Hassan's affinity toward ascetism and Sufism is rooted in his idea of cognitive approach. There is no doubt that the early Sufi's theoretical sophisticate and ascetic trainings including Hassan Basri is not known enough. The paper seeks to find out the above.