Are Mysticism and Islam like Oil and Water?

Early Islam was born in mysticism. Historically famous Islamic Mysitics included Halaj, Rumi, Shathali, Al-Bistami, and Al-Ghazali.  Great mystic minds meshed their own desire of growing close to Allah (God) into a version of Islam that matched their increased perception of what the mystical experience created in their minds. (Remember how in my own experience I felt an overwhelming love that was not earthly available, ever. I knew it as I experienced it.) These men each discovered their own versions of what I like to call the God-Truth. I admire that they remained true to what they perceived was happening while, in detail, they were actually veering away from the Islam religion through their mystic experiences. Coming back to "rational thought", they struggled with balancing the mystical experience with the strictures of their faith. (The laws, rules and regulations that tell the in-group who is "in", and who is "out".) 
Al-Halaj:858-922 AD  
He was an unusual Sufi because he shared openly what he experienced in his mystical interactions. Most Sufi's would keep these experiences to themselves but Al-Halaj was one who connected mystically with God and felt that all that was left of him was God, he had been absorbed. He was a poet and fearlessly expressed his God-truth... and was executed for his heresy. "I am the truth", There is nothing wrapped in this turban but God." 

Rumi 1207-1273 AD
He was a literary Sufi Persian poet who believed that humans evolved from animals to attain a higher spiritual plane in seeking God. He wrote about love. Rumi's devoted followers began calling themselves Mewlewi Sufi. That order was founded on 1273 following his death.

  Shathali was a Sufi mystic and has a following among the Sufi.

Al-Bistami: 804-87(4)? CE
Bastami was one of the first Open Sufis who spoke of "annihilation of the self in God". (fana fi "Allah") and "subsistence through God". The "annihilation of the self" means the release of the ego to be united with God.

Al-Ghazali:1058-1111 AD

Educated in predominantly Sunnite Islamic teaching, and an interest in Sufi mysticism which was popular in that time,  Al-Ghazali suffered a religious disconnect between the world of reason, worldly cares, and the sensory world of his inner spiritual development. The depth, eloquence and array of his written work, continue to educate Islamic thought today. His writings weakened Greek Teachings and emphasized Islamic teachings, established philosophy as dismissible if it contradicted or challenged Islamic teachings, and put the science of Islam before rational scientific understanding. He also challenged the invincibility of the Imam, or spiritual teacher. He felt that a man should be able to study for himself and find the knowledge that will lead to divine thought and closeness to Allah. Women were considered very weak and of dubious morality and limited intellect. He did believe that women deserved to seek some religious education by asking their father or husband for that opportunity. His writings have been the predominant Islamic view until the recent extremist views evolved in the last 30 years. His focus was: renunciation of this world, seclusion and cultivation of the innermost self. And so he continued until his death in 1111 AD. After the life of  Al-Ghazali, Islam has not had much evolution of thought or further development. 

The Sufi-style Islam that carries the rich history of mysticism is not evident with the militant version of Islam that has increased in popularity with some groups within the past 30 years. There is so much to learn from study of these colorful individuals who affected their rich mystic heritage! Islam does have mystic experience in it's history, but other than with the Sufis, I am not sure it is practiced much. 

Unrelated to the general topic - 

I just have to add: As a woman, I find it a little off putting. I suppose I am too focused on being a person rather than a woman. I just don't see that I am so different from a man. The emphasis in religions over who is what sex seems like the value system used in "high school" to me. My take on it: Let's be responsible adults and monitor our own behaviors and keep our noses out of other people's business. 

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