"Sufism"............elaborate?

Answer 1

Straight from wiki (no original thought in my head when I'm busy eating cookies):
Sufism (Persian: صوفی‌گری Sufi gari, Arabic: تصوف, taṣawwuf) is a mystic tradition of Islam. Practitioners of Sufism, known as Sufis, engage in the pursuit of a direct perception of spiritual truth, through mystic practices based on divine love. Sufism differs from other branches of Islam in its esoteric rather than exoteric focus.

The term Sufism can be used to describe a diverse range of beliefs and practises. Tariqas (Sufi orders) may be associated with Shi'a Islam, Sunni Islam, other currents of Islam, or a combination of multiple traditions. Sufi thought emerged from the Middle East in the eighth century, but adherents are now found around the world. In particular, Indonesia, the most populous Islamic nation in the world, was introduced to Islam through Sufism, and Sufi practises and beliefs are evident in mainstream religious life across the country.

Sufism has produced a large body of poetry in Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Kurdish, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, which notably includes the works of Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, Abdul Qader Bedil, Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusro, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast, Sultan Bahu, as well as numerous traditions of devotional dance, such as Sufi whirling, and music, such as Qawwali.

Answer 2

In simplicity for the beginner...think of it like Buddhist Islam. A bunch of Islamic monks meditate, some of them use mind-altering drugs (not that theres anything wrong w/ that) and they write poetry and philosophical ideas. Simple as that.