Outline Of Sufism

Followed by many millions of Muslims throughout the world, Sufism is the heart of Islamic spirituality. This succinct, yet comprehensive book offers an overview of Sufism's fundamental doctrines and spiritual practices. Book jacket.

This book analyzes the enduring appeal of the Sufi movement. Its first chapter deals with origins of the Sufi movement and then discusses of the various definitions attached to what came to define what would later be called the mystical dimension of Islam. The succeeding chapters deal with its historical development. Under this theme, specific chapters deal with the spread of Sufism during the Middle Ages and early Modern period and how it survived and even thrived during this time. The concluding chapter during this historical section traces its spread beyond the Islamic world and into the West during the contemporary period.The middle chapters examine the appeal of Sufism on a cross-cultural basis around the globe both past and present. In this section, the crucial role that Sufi brotherhoods and lodges have played in the cultures and societies around the world on various continents are detailed. The emphasis is on the key role played by the Sufi orders in terms of community service and outreach activities often directed toward disadvantaged and marginal groups. This section also reviews the basic principles, practices and philosophies of the largest global orders. The final chapter in this section outlines the contributions of Sufism to world culture through literature, the arts and philosophy.The concluding chapters analyze the continued appeal of Sufism to various cultures and societies in both its religious and non-religious versions. They evaluate how Sufism through its adaptability has managed to survive and even thrive in an often indifferent or hostile environment and in the face of trends such as secularism, modernization and urbanization as well as challenges from orthodox traditional advocates of Islam. Another chapter summarizes the various criticisms that have been directed toward Sufi beliefs, and the Sufi response to them. Finally, the concluding chapter restates why Sufism has survived and connects it to a number of factors, particularly its message of inclusion, compassion, tolerance and love--a message with universal appeal.In addition to the usual table of contents and index of terms, an overview and glossary is provided for each chapter.

"Sufism has had a very special place in Indian cultural ethos having contributed significantly to the making of its syncretic socio-cultural fabric. The present book seeks to be an introduction to the growth and development of Sufism in Indian, and touches upon all the main sects of Sufism, while delineating the way of life of the Sufi-saints. The book attempts to present the way Sufism has impacted India, and also explores the dynamics of Indian philosophical and religious traditions impacting the growth of Sufism in this part of the world. " -- Back cover.

For more than a millennium, Sufism has been the core of the spiritual experience of countless Muslims. As the chief mystical tradition of Islam, it has helped to shape the history of Islamic societies. Although it is the Sufi face of Islam that has often appealed to Westerners, Sufis and Sufism remain mysterious to many in the West, and are still widely misunderstood. In this new, redesigned paperback edition of this bestselling book, a scholar with long experience of Sufism in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe succinctly presents the essentials of Sufism and shows how Sufis live and worship, and why. As well as what Sufism is and where it comes from, the book discusses Sufi orders not only in the Islamic world but also in the West. The political, social, and economic significance of Sufism is outlined, and the question of how and why Sufism has become one of the more controversial aspects of contemporary Islamic religious life is addressed. This book assumes no prior knowledge of the subject. It is a penetrating and concise introduction for everyone interested in Islam and Islamic societies.

'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah of Damascus was one of the great women scholars in Islamic history. Born into a prominent family of pious scholars and Sufi devotees, 'A'ishah received a thorough religious education and memorized the Quran at age eight. A mystic and a prolific poet and writer, she composed more works in Arabic than any other woman before the 20th century. Yet despite her extraordinary literary and religious achievements, 'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah remains largely unknown. For the first time, her key work, The Principles of Sufism, is available in English translation. The Principles of Sufism is a mystical guide book to help others on their spiritual path. Outlining the four principles of Repentance, Sincerity, Remembrance, and Love, it traces the fundamental stages and states of the spiritual novice’s transformative journey, emphasizing the importance of embracing both human limitations and God’s limitless love. Drawing on lessons and readings from centuries-old Sufi tradition, 'A'ishah advises the seeker to repent of selfishness and turn to a sincere life of love. In addition to his lucid translation, Th. Emil Homerin provides an insightful introduction, notes and a glossary to 'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah’s remarkable account of the pursuit of mystical illumination.

Experts: Sufism, the religious philosophy of Islam, is described in the oldest extant definition as the apprehension of divine realities, and Mohammedan mystics are fond of calling themselves Ahl al-Haqq, 'the followers of the Real.' In attempting to set forth their central doctrines from this point of view, I shall draw to some extent on materials which I have collected during the last twenty years for a general history of Islamic mysticism-a subject so vast and many-sided that several large volumes would be required to do it anything like justice. Here I can only sketch in broad outline certain principles, methods, and characteristic features of the inner life as it has been lived by Moslems of every class and condition from the eighth century of our era to the present day... The Sufi who sets out to seek God calls himself a 'traveler' (salik); he advances by slow 'stages' (maqamat) along a 'path' (tariqat) to the goal of union with Reality...

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