During the second half of the 4th/10th century, Sulami's work marks an important step in the development of sufism. The approch is threefold : first, as a traditionist, Sulami compiles and organizes the teachings of spiritual masters ; secondly, as a defender of sufism, he criticizes déviant manifestations and asserts his orthodoxy ; finally, as a teacher of disciples, he exposes the Path and Holiness. A detailed study of 25 of his writings allows us to determine some distinctive aspects of his work. Influenced by the People of the Path of Blame and the Path of Junayd, he describes a spirituality that combines the Bagdad and Nichapour Schools. He refocuses the doctrines and practices on the prophetic figure and on the masters' exemple, and draws most of his terminology from the Koran. Finally, he prepares the way for more institutionalized forms of spirituality by codifying the Relationship between masters and disciples.
