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The Mystics of Islam

Chapter 16: A. General
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About This Book

A concise introduction to Islamic mysticism that traces its emergence from early ascetic practice and situates its development within Islam. It outlines key terminology and the stages of the spiritual path—renunciation, illumination and ecstatic experience, gnostic insight, and the primacy of divine love—then examines the role of holy persons, reports of miracles, and the culminating unitive state. The presentation pairs historical overview with translations of Arabic and Persian passages and critical commentary, and closes with a brief bibliography for further study.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. General

Tholuck, F. A. G., Ssufismus sive Theosophia Persarum pantheistica (Berlin, 1821).

In Latin. Out of date in some respects, but still worth reading.

Palmer, E. H., Oriental Mysticism (Cambridge, 1867).

A treatise on Persian theosophy, based on a work by Nasafī.

Von Kremer, A., Geschichte der herrschenden Ideen des Islams (Leipzig, 1868), pp. 52–121.

A brilliant sketch of the origin and development of Sūfism.

Goldziher, I., Vorlesungen über den Islam (Heidelberg, 1910), pp. 139–200.

An account of Sūfī asceticism and mysticism by the greatest living authority on Islam.

Goldziher, I., Muhammedanische Studien (Halle, 1888–90), Part ii., pp. 277–378.

Gives full details concerning the worship of Moslem saints.

Macdonald, D. B., The Religious Life and Attitude in Islam (Chicago, 1909).

A valuable introduction to the study of the moderate type of Sūfism represented by Ghazālī. The chapters on psychology are particularly helpful.

Iqbal, Shaikh Muhammad, The Development of Metaphysics in Persia (London, 1908), pp. 96 ff.

Gibb, E. J. W., History of Turkish Poetry (London, 1900–1909), vol. i. pp. 15–69.

Outlines of Persian philosophic mysticism.

Browne, E. G., Literary History of Persia (London, 1902), vol. i. pp. 416–444.

Brown, J. P., The Dervishes, or Oriental Spiritualism (London, 1868).

Unscientific, but contains much interesting material.

Depont, O., and Coppolani, X., Les Confréries religieuses musulmanes (Algiers, 1897).

A standard work on the Dervish Orders.