The impact of ecstasy methods of Shamanism on some Sufi sects

The influence of behaviours, traditions and beliefs of non- Islamic mystical schools on different Sufi sects has always been a research problem for those scholars who are interested in analysis of the roots and origins of thoughts and practices of Muslim mystics. Most of the scholars are unanimous that some similarities present between Sufism and other mystical traditions such as Buddhist mysticism, Gnosticism and so on, indicate that Sufism has been influenced by foreign mystical schools.Although no one can claim that all of adopted beliefs and practices used in the practical Sufism are worthless, but surely some of them have imposed very negative and destrctive effects on commoners, because they regard Sufi saints as paragons of humane virtues and try to immitate them. One example of these barrowed ideas which has not been considered properly so far is the use of Shamani methods for acheiving ecstatic states.The present paper while examining Shamanism generally, tries to clarify why and how some Sufi sects have adopted Shamani methods to experience ecstasy and annihilation state in particular.