The Elements Of Sufism

This introduction to Sufism describes its origins and practices, its historical background and its spread throughout the world. It explains: where Sufism originated; the relationship between Sufism and Islam; what it means to be a Sufi; and the relevance of Sufism in modern life.

Studying the history of the notion of the ‘Perfect Human’ (al-insān al-kāmil), this book investigates a key idea in the history of Sufism. First discussed by Ibn ‘Arabī and later treated in greater depth by al-Jīlī, the idea left its mark on later Islamic mystical, metaphysical, and political thought, from North Africa to Southeast Asia, up until modern times. The research tells the story of the development of that idea from Ibn ‘Arabī to al-Jīlī and beyond. It does so through a thematic study, based on close reading of primary sources in Arabic and Persian, of the key elements of the idea, including the idea that the Perfect Human is a locus of divine manifestation (maẓhar), the concept of the ‘Pole’ (quṭb) and the ‘Muhammadan Reality’ (al-ḥaqīqah al-Muhammadiyyah), and the identity of the Perfect Human. By setting the work of al-Jīlī against the background of earlier Ibn ‘Arabian treatments of the idea, it demonstrates that al-Jīlī took the idea of the Perfect Human in several new directions, with major consequences for how the Prophet Muhammad – the archetypal Perfect Human – was viewed in later Islamic thought. Introducing readers to the key Sufi idea of the Perfect Human (al-insān al-kāmil), this volume will be of interest to scholars and students interested in Sufism, Islam, religion and philosophy.

Western Sufism is sometimes dismissed as a relatively recent "new age" phenomenon, but in this book Mark Sedgwick argues that it has deep roots, both in the Muslim world and in the West. In fact, although the first significant Western Sufi organization was not established until 1915, the first Western discussion of Sufism was printed in 1480, and Western interest in Sufi thought goes back to the thirteenth century. Sedgwick starts with the earliest origins of Western Sufism in late antique Neoplatonism and early Arab philosophy, and traces later origins in repeated intercultural transfers from the Muslim world to the West, in the thought of the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, and in the intellectual and religious ferment of the nineteenth century. He then follows the development of organized Sufism in the West from 1915 until 1968, the year in which the first Western Sufi order based on purely Islamic models was founded. Western Sufism shows the influence of these origins, of thought both familiar and less familiar: Neoplatonic emanationism, perennialism, pantheism, universalism, and esotericism. Western Sufism is the product not of the new age but of Islam, the ancient world, and centuries of Western religious and intellectual history. Using sources from antiquity to the internet, Sedgwick demonstrates that the phenomenon of Western Sufism draws on centuries of intercultural transfers and is part of a long-established relationship between Western thought and Islam.

Sufism is often described as ‘the mystical branch of Islam’. Giving some more attention to this underexposed spiritual side, it is often proposed, could help us to ease certain contemporary societal tensions. One finger then points toward the rigorous religious aggression of fundamentalism as ‘the problem’, while another points toward the soft beauty of mysticism as ‘the solution’. Yet, no matter how well-intended the contemporary focus on Sufism might often be, in the end, it repeatedly portrays a lack of comprehension when it comes to Islamic mysticism. The typical descriptions are full of mistakes, and the conclusions they lead to need much nuance. Those misunderstandings do not simply stem from innocent ignorance. They are misunderstandings with more profound origins and implications. They’re closely tied to enormous blind spots in the contemporary view of religion and deeply entwined with pressing political issues. In fact, the way we deal with mysticism in general and with Sufism in particular actually kindles many contemporary conflicts. This book thus seeks to add the necessary nuances, correct the misunderstandings and unveil the contemporary ‘politics of mysticism’. It seeks to clarify how the growing interest in what is called ‘Sufism’ is connected to both the contemporary demonization of Islam and the modern destruction of profound spirituality in the East as well as the West.

Sufism has become a lush spiritual experience in the everyday lives of millions the world over. For centuries, Sufism has evolved to form an integral path through the essence of life. Especially for the people of Pakistan, Sufism winds like a cool mystical stream nurturing a parched landscape. No one knows this better than Kamran Ahmad, Ph.D., scholar of Religion and Psychology in the United States and his native Pakistan. Yet today messages to Sufis abound from all sides - messages saying what religious life should look like, proposing that Sufis cast aside these deeply held beliefs. Those who would impose religious ideals on others don't seem to grasp the powerful spiritual roots in our daily life that run deeper than anything that can be prescribed. What's more, we may need to be reminded of these deep roots ourselves. In his landmark work Tareeqat, Dr. Kamran Ahmad peels back the veil to reveal this rich inner life in all its suppleness and strength. He bravely takes on critics who would leave secrets of the heart and soul untouched, unspoken. Tareeqat offers a spiritual richness that defies description and will leave you breathless. Dr. Ahmad maintains that the Sufi connection to spiritual essence remains an unspoken, unwritten truth. In Tareeqat, you will discover that a paradox has taken hold of the South Asian region, one that keeps us tacitly quiet about what matters most. In an unspoken language, the dictate decrees that matters of the spirit, secrets of the spirit, and secrets of the heart are taboo topics. They're not to be talked about, written about or argued about. They are to be experienced. They are to be lived as part of everyday life, much as a haunting melody weaves its magic in and out of consciousness. When you read Tareeqat, you will discover how strong and deep the spirit runs in our everyday lives and relationships. As you do, you will clearly see the path to recognize it for what it is, embrace it with love, live it with pride, in its eternal flow, in its ever-changing forms. You will gain the courage to see the richness of Sufism for all that it is, all it can be. And you will never look at life same way again.

Insight into Life is the real religion, which alone can help man to understand Life.' Hazrat Inayat Khan The Sufis have been using carefully constructed stories for teaching purposes for thousands of years. Though on the surface these often appear to be little more than fairy or folk tales, the Sufis hold that they enshrine - in their characters, plots and imagery - patterns and relationships that nurture a part of the mind not reachable in more conventional ways, thus increasing our understanding, flexibility and breadth of vision. Familiarization with this body of material can eventually provide answers to questions about our origins and our destiny. In this book John Baldock explores the rich body of literature the Sufis have produced to guide spiritual travellers. While explaining the significant teachings and emphasizing their significance for us, he sheds a timely light on the Sufis' fascinating perception of life, revealing it to be a process of the heart and not of the head, and offers intriguing pathways to further study and reflection.

Jamaican Poet Laureate Lorna Goodison searches for answers for herself and other Caribbean-based descendants of enslaved Africans by examining and presenting different spiritualities in her poetry in the hope of providing alternatives to the psyche in need of healing after the traumatic events of the infamous transatlantic Middle Passage. The inclusion of Sufism in her poetry seems to have a dual purpose, in that it offers a “new” creative angle and a sincere belief in its power to provide relief from personal anguish. The fact that Sufism is similar to Jamaican-based religions works in its favor. Can Jamaicans, who are Goodison’s primary subject, really relate to its message? She does not underestimate her audience’s capacity for change or their willingness to accept the ideas of Sufism. Her role as facilitator is not a secret; she is openly promoting her ideas and her belief that healing is possible. This book is divided into three chapters. In Chapter One, a brief history of slavery in the Caribbean region with a focus on Jamaica is presented. The second chapter explicitly focuses on Lorna Goodison and her use of the written word to reveal her feelings about her ancestors’ (and her own) traumatic past. It also defines Sufism, includes some examples of Sufi poems, and shows what aspects of Sufism resonate with Jamaican Revivalism and Rastafarianism. The final chapter first makes reference to how Sufi elements have been used by other writers such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Walt Whitman, Thomas Merton, and Doris Lessing, and then illustrates how, contrary to these others, Goodison is the only one to apply Sufi ideals to a Caribbean context, thus falling into her own creative category, that of a new Caribbean literary canon.