Egypt and Pakistan Islamic Sufi shrine attacks in 2017 that killed hundreds show horrific level of religious violence from some Islamic extremist group(s)

Last updated on 27th Nov. 2017

An extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Sinai_attack:

On 24 November 2017, in North Sinai Governorate, Egypt, near Bir al-Abed, the al-Rawda mosque, known as the birthplace of the founder of Sufism in the Sinai Peninsula, was attacked by around forty gunmen during Friday prayers. The gun and bomb attack killed more than 305 people and injured more than 120, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in Egyptian history.

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An extract from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Sehwan_suicide_bombing :

On 16 February 2017, a suicide bombing took place inside the Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, Pakistan, where pilgrims were performing a Sufi ritual after the evening prayers. At least 90 people were killed and over 300 injured.

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Ravi: I pray to Allah/Almighty God to shower His Grace on all those who lost their lives in the above 2017 attacks on Sufi shrines in Pakistan and Egypt. I also pray to Allah/Almighty God to give strength and courage to those injured and to the family and friends of the victims of the above attacks.

This article: To the World, They Are Muslims. To ISIS, Sufis Are Heretics., https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/25/world/middleeast/sufi-muslims-isis-sinai.html, 25th Nov. 2017, is about the above two attacks and the Islamic extremist views that led to these attacks on Islamic Sufi followers.

It states that these Islamic extremist group(s) view the "act of praying to a saint and worshiping at their tomb" as "shirk" or polytheism which goes against their view of Islam.

It quotes a scholar (academic, I guess) of Islam, Jacob Olidort, as saying, "What they take the Sufis to task principally for is the intercession, the use (of) other media, to access God, rather than going directly."

It quotes another (academic) scholar of Islam, Alexander Knysh, as saying, "They believe Sufi shrines are the most egregious expression of that shirk".."You are turning to a mediator, who is inserting himself between the believer and God, and in this way it becomes a kind of idol."

Ravi: I am a follower and worshiper of Shirdi Sai Baba, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_Baba_of_Shirdi, the nineteenth and early twentieth century mystic, who wore the dress of a Muslim fakir and would frequently say, "Allah Maalik" (God is the master/owner). Some view Shirdi Sai Baba as a Sufi saint. Shirdi Sai Baba encouraged both Muslim and Hindu traditions of religious practice, and had staunch Muslim and Hindu followers.

I pray to Allah/Almighty God to protect worshipers of Islamic Sufi saints and protect Islamic Sufi shrines across the world from such horrible attacks on them.
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Some additional thoughts of mine on why this topic is such that even atheists and agnostics should not ignore it:
My Internet based study of religion in the world today shows me that without a shadow of a doubt, religion will continue to play a major role in the lives of the majority of the world's population in the foreseeable future.

So for even people of no faith (atheists and agnostics), it may be useful to have an understanding of contemporary religious beliefs and practices, as unless they choose to live a very secluded life among a community of people of no faith, they will encounter and have to live with people of faith. Further, it may be very useful to them to be able to distinguish between bad and dangerous religious groups like Islamic extremist groups who practice horrendous violence against those that do not follow their beliefs and practices, and good and peace-loving religious groups like Islamic Sufis who come from both Sunni and Shia Islamic traditions.
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A related recent Indian mainstream newspaper article: Who are Sufi Muslims and why do some extremists hate them, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/who-are-sufi-muslims-and-why-do-some-extremists-hate-them/articleshow/61793688.cms, 25th Nov. 2017
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Some more thoughts of mine on this matter:

I think violence against people of other faiths simply because they are of another faith is an unambiguous mark of a bad and dangerous faith.

I think that faiths that practice at least some level of love and kindness towards all people irrespective of their faith, show a tolerance towards peaceful beliefs that are radically different from theirs, and are peace-loving who use violence (against other people) only in self-defense can be viewed as not harmful to society faiths.

Whether a faith is good or not, is a trickier topic. Some may hold the view that the importance faiths give to divine revelations and to non-critical belief in those revelations, cannot be viewed as good. But, in general, I think that faiths that lead their followers to serve the less fortunate in society in a humble and loving manner, for free or very affordable cost, can be viewed as good for society faiths.
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About holy books of various religions being viewed as inerrant (always correct) and so the problems that come up as some views in holy books are inconsistent with morality as well as laws of early 21st century world today in non-theocratic and democratic states like USA, countries of Western Europe and India:

The holy books are revered, yes. But it is not as if the majority of the believers try to follow all aspects of teachings in their holy books as divine law that they should always follow. I mean, there is a reality of the law of the land and punishment including imprisonment for disobeying the law of the land.

In India, I think I can say with a lot of confidence that the vast majority of believers of various religions do revere their holy books but that reverence DOES NOT translate into following the injunctions of the holy books that go against the law of the land. I mean, they have a healthy fear of the police and of prison.

In the practice of most, if not all, religions in India, I think that common sense morality plays a vital role in highlighting similar (to common sense morality) injunctions in their holy books which the faithful are exhorted to follow, and a suppression of injunctions in their holy books which are illegal in India and/or are grossly unethical in early 21st century India. Now there surely would be a few exceptions of people who make efforts to literally interpret their holy books and are even willing to do stuff that is illegal and grossly unethical in India today because their holy books literally tell them to do that. But I think they are a small minority.

I have a limited idea of how religion may be in the USA. But I am quite sure that all the living presidents of the USA - Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barrack Obama and Donald Trump - all of whom are Christians, DO NOT devoutly believe that all Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Jains, Sikhs and atheists as well as Christians from denominations different from theirs (e.g. Catholics), will burn in hell forever! BTW I read/viewed something recently that said that George W. Bush's daughter (one of his daughters I guess) converted to Islam. 
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I think there is certainly some level of untrue dogma (authoritative beliefs/principles of a religion/sect believed to be true by the faithful of that religion/sect) among most believers including Hindus but I would say that some of these untrue dogmas are approximations of a higher truth which they and/or Hindus of past ages, cannot/could not understand, and so it is made into a simpler but inaccurate and sometimes untrue dogmatic principle/belief.
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About the view that the ways of God are mysterious:

That's one of the illogical ways religious people come to terms with hard-to-swallow things that happen to them and people they know. It has its therapeutic effect I think as it helps people to cope. And their continuing faith gives them the hope and will to continue with their lives instead of simply giving up on life. I have seen that in India innumerable times. Without faith most of the billion plus Indians will simply not be able to cope with the challenges of living in India. This has to be understood at an emotional and real-life psychological level and not just an intellectual level.
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[I thank wikipedia and nytimes.com and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts (wikipedia) and short quotes (nytimes.com) from their websites on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]