The be-shari'a and ba-shari'a sufis were two distinct streams within the Sufi tradition that emerged by the eleventh century.

The primary difference between them lay in their attitude towards the shari'a, the law governing the Muslim community based on the Quran and hadis. The ba-shari'a sufis complied with the shari'a and followed established rules and rituals. They organised themselves around khanqahs (hospices) under the guidance of a teaching master called shaikh, pir, or murshid.

In contrast, the be-shari'a sufis deliberately defied the shari'a. They scorned the khanqah and ignored rituals. They adopted radical interpretations of sufi ideals, practising extreme forms of asceticism, mendicancy, and celibacy. They were known by various names such as Qalandars, Madaris, Malangs, and Haidaris.

Despite these differences, both traditions shared a common foundation in Sufism, which had evolved into a well-developed movement with a body of literature on Quranic studies and sufi practices. Both represented different paths of spiritual pursuit within the broader Islamic mystical tradition.