Sufi orders trace their origin back to Ali, the nephew of the Prophet Mohammed. The main distinction from mainstream Islam is the emphasis on mysticism and asceticism.
Answer and Explanation:
Sufism is basically a mystical branch of Islam. As has been the case almost since the founding of Islam, those who are attracted to Sufism are those who wish to maintain more distance from the secular world. Most are part of the branch of Islam identifying as Sunni Muslims.
