 Sufism was adopted and then grew particularly in the frontier areas of Islamic states, where the asceticism of its "fakirs" (or dervish) appealed to a population used to the monastic traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism or Christianity.Ascetic practices of Sufi fakirs have included celibacy, fasting and self-mortification.Sufi ascetics also participated in mobilizing Islamic warriors for holy war, helping travelers, dispensing blessings through their perceived magical powers, and in helping settle disputes.