Sufis are practitioners of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam that emphasizes the inward search for God and spiritual closeness. They seek to experience divine love and knowledge through various practices, including meditation, chanting, and poetry. Sufism often focuses on the heart's purification and the development of a personal relationship with the divine. Sufis are known for their unique rituals, such as the whirling dervishes, who perform a spinning dance as a form of meditation. Prominent Sufi poets like Rumi and Hafez have contributed significantly to literature, expressing deep spiritual insights and the quest for unity with the divine.