What is tasawwuf?
From Tasawwuf.org: a true shaykh of tasawwuf (sufism) never breaks even the smallest tenets of the shariah or the sunnah. Rather, he sees them as the means of his progress towards his Lord. In fact, he prefers death over falling into even a minute sin.
I saw a holy man on the seashore wounded by a tiger.
No medicine could relieve his pain; He suffered much, 
but he nevertheless constantly thanked God, the most high, saying,
”Praise be to Allah
that I have fallen into a calamity and not into sin.”
