Is it permissible to give charity and sponsor students of knowledge to an individual or to students who follow a Sufi group, knowing that they hold the "innovation of silent remembrance (dhikr)" and the "sequential spiritual connection (al-rabita al-qalbiyya al-mutasalsila) connected to our master Abu Bakr al-Siddiq"? And what is this spiritual connection that they claim?

Charity is of two types: obligatory (Zakat), which is disbursed only to the eight categories mentioned in the Holy Quran, and supererogatory, which may be disbursed to Muslims and non-Muslims, and to the person mentioned in the question. However, Zakat is not disbursed to him unless he is one of its rightful recipients. Sponsoring students is permissible as long as they do not use it to learn innovations (bid'ah) or corrupt beliefs.