Description

At the very heart of Islam lies the spiritual way of Sufism. Far removed from the negative portrayal of Islam in the headlines, Sufism is rooted in the harmonious qualities of peace, love, beauty, and wisdom. Its primary focus is to return human beings to unity with God. This select treasury of Sufi wisdom includes nearly 400 short sayings from as many as 100 of the greatest Sufi saints and sages in history, covering a vast span of 1,400 years. It includes notable sayings from well-known figures such as Rabiah, al-Hallaj, Junayd, al-Ghazali, Ibn al-Farid, Ibn Arabi, Rumi, and Ahmad al-Alawi. Also featured are over 150 verses from the Koran and the Hadith (Prophetic sayings), which form the foundational sources of this esoteric form of Islam. Whether expressing itself in pithy paradoxical aphorisms, extended intellectual instruction, or rapturous mystical poetry, this compendium of Sufi wisdom will illuminate the spiritual traveler’s way of return to God.

Reviews

“This work serves as a sure guide for the understanding of authentic Sufi doctrine and the principles of the method of reaching the Truth which the doctrine explains and to whose realization it points.”

Seyyed Hossein Nasr, author of Knowledge and the Sacred and The Heart of Islam

“For anyone drawn to the metaphysics of Sufism, as seen from the perspective of divine unity, this is a rich collection of valuable insights.”

Carl W. Ernst, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, author of How to Read the Qur’an and Teachings of Sufism

“This is a wonderful selection of texts focusing on the tight connection made in Islam between theory and practice, or knowing the truth of God and living in His presence.”

William C. Chittick, State University of New York, Stony Brook, author of The Sufi Path of Knowledge and The Sufi Doctrine of Rumi

“This is a Sufi volume with a difference! Scholars and students alike will be intrigued, charmed and educated by the wide range of well-chosen Sufi materials contained in this fascinating volume.”

Ian Richard Netton, University of Exeter, author of Sufi Ritual

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