The sharīʿa, the “path to the watering place”, is the body of divine law derived from the Qurʾān and the Prophet’s example. Mainstream Sufism insists that the inner path cannot bypass the outer law: the ṭarīqa begins with and remains within the sharīʿa.
Sharīʿa
The revealed law of Islam, governing worship and conduct, the outer foundation of the Sufi path.
Also: Sharia, Islamic law