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What is Sufism?
Martin Lings provides an excellent and authoritative introduction to the mystical movement of the Sufis based on his lifelong interest in Islamic culture. His explanation derives from a profound understanding of Sufism, and extends to many aspects which are usually neglected. His illuminating answer to 'What is Sufism?' gives a taste of the very subject matter itself. What do Sufis believe? What do they aim at? What do they do? Unlike other writers on the subject, Martin Lings treats all the three questions with equal justice. He is thus able to give a wealth of answers to the main question 'What is Sufism?', each answer being from a different angle but all going to the root of the matter. A reviewer wrote 'Should the book appear in paperback, I would use it for undergraduate and graduate courses on Islamic civilization', and in fact What is Sufism? has become a set book in colleges and universities on both sides of the Atlantic. It is now accepted as the authoritative statement on the subject of Sufism and it has been translated into French, German, Italian and Spanish. It has also been published in Sarajevo in Bosnian, and is available in Braille.
134 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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1303 people want to read
About the author
Martin Lings
112 books469 followersMartin Lings was an English writer and scholar, a student and follower of Frithjof Schuon, and Shakespearean scholar. He is best known as the author of a very popular and positively reviewed biography, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, first published in 1983 and still in print.
Lings was born in Burnage, Manchester in 1909 to a Protestant family. The young Lings gained an introduction to travelling at a young age, spending significant time in the United States due to his father's employment.
Lings attended Clifton College and went on to Magdalen College, Oxford (BA (Oxon) English Language and Literature). At Magdalen he was a student of C. S. Lewis, who would become a close friend of his. After graduating from Oxford Lings went to Vytautas Magnus University, in Lithuania, where he taught Anglo-Saxon and Middle English.
For Lings himself, however, the most important event that occurred while he was at Oxford was his discovery of the writings of the René Guénon, a French metaphysician and Muslim convert and those of Frithjof Schuon, a German spiritual authority, metaphysician and Perennialist. In 1938 Lings went to Basle to make Schuon's acquaintance and he remained Frithjof Schuon's disciple and expositor for the rest of his life.
In 1939 Lings went to Cairo, Egypt in order to visit a friend of his who was an assistant of René Guénon. Not long after arriving in Cairo, his friend died and Lings began studying and learned Arabic.
Cairo became his home for over a decade; he became an English teacher at the University of Cairo and produced Shakespeare plays annually. Lings married Lesley Smalley in 1944 and lived with her in a village near the pyramids. Despite having settled comfortably in Egypt, Lings was forced to leave in 1952 after anti-British disturbances.
Upon returning to the United Kingdom he continued his education, earning a BA in Arabic and a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London). His doctoral thesis became a well-received book on Algerian Sufi Ahmad al-Alawi (see Sufi studies). After completing his doctorate, Lings worked at the British Museum and later British Library, overseeing eastern manuscripts and other textual works, rising to the position of Keeper of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts 1970-73. He was also a frequent contributor to the journal, Studies in Comparative Religion.
A writer throughout this period, Lings' output increased in the last quarter of his life. While his thesis work on Ahmad al-Alawi had been well-regarded, his most famous work was a biography of Muhammad, written in 1983, which earned him acclaim in the Muslim world and prizes from the governments of Pakistan and Egypt. His work was hailed as the "best biography of the prophet in English" at the National Seerat Conference in Islamabad.[2] He also continued travelling extensively, although he made his home in Kent. He died in 2005.
In addition to his writings on Sufism, Lings was a Shakespeare scholar. His contribution to Shakespeare scholarship was to point out the deeper esoteric meanings found in Shakespeare's plays, and the spirituality of Shakespeare himself. More recent editions of Lings's books on Shakespeare include a Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales. Just before his death he gave an interview on this topic, which was posthumously made into the film Shakespeare's Spirituality: A Perspective. An Interview With Dr. Martin Lings.
Lings was born in Burnage, Manchester in 1909 to a Protestant family. The young Lings gained an introduction to travelling at a young age, spending significant time in the United States due to his father's employment.
Lings attended Clifton College and went on to Magdalen College, Oxford (BA (Oxon) English Language and Literature). At Magdalen he was a student of C. S. Lewis, who would become a close friend of his. After graduating from Oxford Lings went to Vytautas Magnus University, in Lithuania, where he taught Anglo-Saxon and Middle English.
For Lings himself, however, the most important event that occurred while he was at Oxford was his discovery of the writings of the René Guénon, a French metaphysician and Muslim convert and those of Frithjof Schuon, a German spiritual authority, metaphysician and Perennialist. In 1938 Lings went to Basle to make Schuon's acquaintance and he remained Frithjof Schuon's disciple and expositor for the rest of his life.
In 1939 Lings went to Cairo, Egypt in order to visit a friend of his who was an assistant of René Guénon. Not long after arriving in Cairo, his friend died and Lings began studying and learned Arabic.
Cairo became his home for over a decade; he became an English teacher at the University of Cairo and produced Shakespeare plays annually. Lings married Lesley Smalley in 1944 and lived with her in a village near the pyramids. Despite having settled comfortably in Egypt, Lings was forced to leave in 1952 after anti-British disturbances.
Upon returning to the United Kingdom he continued his education, earning a BA in Arabic and a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London). His doctoral thesis became a well-received book on Algerian Sufi Ahmad al-Alawi (see Sufi studies). After completing his doctorate, Lings worked at the British Museum and later British Library, overseeing eastern manuscripts and other textual works, rising to the position of Keeper of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts 1970-73. He was also a frequent contributor to the journal, Studies in Comparative Religion.
A writer throughout this period, Lings' output increased in the last quarter of his life. While his thesis work on Ahmad al-Alawi had been well-regarded, his most famous work was a biography of Muhammad, written in 1983, which earned him acclaim in the Muslim world and prizes from the governments of Pakistan and Egypt. His work was hailed as the "best biography of the prophet in English" at the National Seerat Conference in Islamabad.[2] He also continued travelling extensively, although he made his home in Kent. He died in 2005.
In addition to his writings on Sufism, Lings was a Shakespeare scholar. His contribution to Shakespeare scholarship was to point out the deeper esoteric meanings found in Shakespeare's plays, and the spirituality of Shakespeare himself. More recent editions of Lings's books on Shakespeare include a Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales. Just before his death he gave an interview on this topic, which was posthumously made into the film Shakespeare's Spirituality: A Perspective. An Interview With Dr. Martin Lings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 2, 2013
If it wasn't for Sufism I wouldn't be a Muslim, and in my mind, it misses the point to think of any religion without it's own form of "Sufism". Sufism in Islam is quite simply the esoteric part of the faith, and an exoteric without an esoteric is a shell with no substance. This is a rather short work, but a perfect concise statement on the essentials of Sufism, including a list of essential Sufis and their respective works.
August 25, 2012
This is the most eloquent introduction to Sufism in any European language. Nonetheless, it is a somewhat difficult book to read. Those who are not already inclined to spiritual matters will find this a difficult read. Some aspects of the book also require some knowledge of Islam in order to penetrate them more completely. Still, anyone who is genuinely interested in Sufism should read this book.
July 16, 2018
This book is like a beehive - filled with a portion of sweet honey, but only one with wisdom can attain the honey without being stung. There are pitfalls to reading this book without a certain degree of understanding of Islam previously as the language Lings uses can be a barrier to grasping his meaning and some will take issue with the ideas presented.
However, of all the books in English about Sufism this might be the most beautifully written, grounded, and evocative "primer" on Sufism as the spiritual dimension of Islam.
However, of all the books in English about Sufism this might be the most beautifully written, grounded, and evocative "primer" on Sufism as the spiritual dimension of Islam.
November 27, 2019
مقدمة مختصرة ومكثفة جداً عن الصوفية .. وتاريخ التصوف
September 16, 2016
ما الصوفية كتاب لـ مارتن لانج
وكما واضح من العنوان يتحدث عن الصوفية وما هي بصورة مختصرة ومكثفة
كذلك تنقسم الفصول حول تاريخ التصوف وتفسريتها من القرأن الكريم
وبعدها يتحدث حول الرسول وما الى ذلك ويستعرض كذلك التصوف عبر عصورها
وفي النهاية يذكر اهم علماء الدين الصوفيين مثل شيخ عبد القادر والغزالي وجلال الدين وغيرهم الكثير
وكما واضح من العنوان يتحدث عن الصوفية وما هي بصورة مختصرة ومكثفة
كذلك تنقسم الفصول حول تاريخ التصوف وتفسريتها من القرأن الكريم
وبعدها يتحدث حول الرسول وما الى ذلك ويستعرض كذلك التصوف عبر عصورها
وفي النهاية يذكر اهم علماء الدين الصوفيين مثل شيخ عبد القادر والغزالي وجلال الدين وغيرهم الكثير
January 2, 2023
First book to complete in year 2023. Everything essence of Tasawuf being explained here with lucidity and clarity. It ables to give me more understanding on Tasawuf. Thanks Martin Ling for this work. May Allah blesses you.
June 13, 2022
I don’t feel that this book was very informative of what Sufism truly is. The author goes about structuring the book in a very “flowery” and philosophical manner, rather than logically mapping out the basics of Sufism, and it’s ideologies/metrologies/practices.
I personally feel that this book was written in a very western pov. There was a sense of disconnect with the writing - a lack of authenticity almost.
A lot of random topics are explored in this book, and the link to ‘Sufism’ is not made completely apparent. There is a slight lack of clarity with this book, in both the structure and writing style. That being said, the discussion is interesting, and suits a reader who is seeking a philosophical insight into Sufism.
I personally feel that this book was written in a very western pov. There was a sense of disconnect with the writing - a lack of authenticity almost.
A lot of random topics are explored in this book, and the link to ‘Sufism’ is not made completely apparent. There is a slight lack of clarity with this book, in both the structure and writing style. That being said, the discussion is interesting, and suits a reader who is seeking a philosophical insight into Sufism.
September 24, 2015
Very concise and helpful introduction to sufism
September 29, 2017
Renungan mendalam tentang teori dan praxis sufi seperti yang ditekuni dan diteladani oleh penulis, beliau sendiri merupakan seorang pengamal tasawwul.
Sudut pandang peribadi penulis yang begitu intim dan teguh dengan tradisi ruhani tersebut, ditekuni dengan pena kesarjanaan beliau menjadikan karya ini beraura semacam suatu manifesto.
Walaubagaimanapun, konseptualisasi sufisme beliau bukanlah konseptualisasi yang ortodoks atau yang berarusperdana pada hemat aku. Rujukan primer beliau adalah tulisan Frithjof Schuon diteguhkan jua dengan ajaran-ajaran Shaykh Ahmad Al Alawy (1869-1934), pengasas aliran Alawiyya dari aliran Darqawiyya dan seterusnya dari Shaziliyyah.
Bukan juga hendak mengatakan bahawa konseptualisasi penulis ini adalah suatu konseptualisasi heretik. Pengaruh perennialisme memang kenampakan pada bab-bab terawal terutamanya bab 'Universality of Sufism'. Namun hatta di situ beliau sekadar menegaskan bahawa elemen Sufisme wujud dalam mana-mana agama (paling jelas dalam Zen Buddhisme) sambil tidak lupa menekankan bahawa Sufisme seperti yang terhablur di dalam acuan Islam adalah penzahirannya yang paling lengkap.
Tidak keterlaluan untuk aku menggambarkan bahawa buku ini merupakan huraian terbaik di dalam bahasa Inggeris pernah aku baca akan gagasan-gagasan terbesar yang terkandung di dalam ajaran Sufisme, baik secara terang mahupun secara berbalam-balam.
Keaslian buah fikir penulis tentu sekali memberi sumbang terhadap dapatan itu. Pisau analisis beliau tajam membedah-dedah erti dan makna di sebalik pengamalan Sufisme dan signifikasi esoterik di dalam amalan-amalan eksoterik di dalam Islam. Sekali-sekala pembaca akan terpana di tengah-tengah ayat yang mengandungi mutiara-mutiara tasawwuf yang sebelum ini tersorok di balik debu-debu duniawi sebelum ia begemerlapan selepasmana disingkap oleh penulis lewat syarahan dan radd-nya, pengisbatan dan penafiannya lantas menuntut keinsafan mendalam di sisi pembaca.
Di dalam beberapa isu kontroversi di dalam sejarah Sufisme yang sebelum ini dianggap sudah disimpulkan kebenaran berpihak kepada siapa, penziarahan sema topik itu di tangan penulis membawa keluar sisi-sisi lain di mana isu tersebut boleh ditanggap. Isu Hallaj adalah contoh yang terkehadapan. Penulis dalam hal ini merupakan apologetik kepada Hallaj dan menegaskan bahawa apa yang Hallaj katakan itu adalah hakikat. Huraian selanjutnya oleh beliau akan faham-faham utama Hallaj dan mereka yang sealiran dengan beliau adalah merupakan kemuncak bagi buku ini.
Buku ini berakhir dengan sejarah perkembangan tradisi Sufisme di mana sekali lagi ia adalah ditulis dari perspektif ‘orang dalam’. Penerokaan penulis kepada tohmahan dan kritikan yang dilemparkan kepada Sufisme terutamanya yang berkait dengan faham kemajuan/kemunduran, keaslian/peniruan adalah mencerahkan dan menjadikan buku ini tergolong di dalam liga yang tersendiri untuk genre-nya yang ditulis di dalam Bahasa Inggeris.
Sudut pandang peribadi penulis yang begitu intim dan teguh dengan tradisi ruhani tersebut, ditekuni dengan pena kesarjanaan beliau menjadikan karya ini beraura semacam suatu manifesto.
Walaubagaimanapun, konseptualisasi sufisme beliau bukanlah konseptualisasi yang ortodoks atau yang berarusperdana pada hemat aku. Rujukan primer beliau adalah tulisan Frithjof Schuon diteguhkan jua dengan ajaran-ajaran Shaykh Ahmad Al Alawy (1869-1934), pengasas aliran Alawiyya dari aliran Darqawiyya dan seterusnya dari Shaziliyyah.
Bukan juga hendak mengatakan bahawa konseptualisasi penulis ini adalah suatu konseptualisasi heretik. Pengaruh perennialisme memang kenampakan pada bab-bab terawal terutamanya bab 'Universality of Sufism'. Namun hatta di situ beliau sekadar menegaskan bahawa elemen Sufisme wujud dalam mana-mana agama (paling jelas dalam Zen Buddhisme) sambil tidak lupa menekankan bahawa Sufisme seperti yang terhablur di dalam acuan Islam adalah penzahirannya yang paling lengkap.
Tidak keterlaluan untuk aku menggambarkan bahawa buku ini merupakan huraian terbaik di dalam bahasa Inggeris pernah aku baca akan gagasan-gagasan terbesar yang terkandung di dalam ajaran Sufisme, baik secara terang mahupun secara berbalam-balam.
Keaslian buah fikir penulis tentu sekali memberi sumbang terhadap dapatan itu. Pisau analisis beliau tajam membedah-dedah erti dan makna di sebalik pengamalan Sufisme dan signifikasi esoterik di dalam amalan-amalan eksoterik di dalam Islam. Sekali-sekala pembaca akan terpana di tengah-tengah ayat yang mengandungi mutiara-mutiara tasawwuf yang sebelum ini tersorok di balik debu-debu duniawi sebelum ia begemerlapan selepasmana disingkap oleh penulis lewat syarahan dan radd-nya, pengisbatan dan penafiannya lantas menuntut keinsafan mendalam di sisi pembaca.
Di dalam beberapa isu kontroversi di dalam sejarah Sufisme yang sebelum ini dianggap sudah disimpulkan kebenaran berpihak kepada siapa, penziarahan sema topik itu di tangan penulis membawa keluar sisi-sisi lain di mana isu tersebut boleh ditanggap. Isu Hallaj adalah contoh yang terkehadapan. Penulis dalam hal ini merupakan apologetik kepada Hallaj dan menegaskan bahawa apa yang Hallaj katakan itu adalah hakikat. Huraian selanjutnya oleh beliau akan faham-faham utama Hallaj dan mereka yang sealiran dengan beliau adalah merupakan kemuncak bagi buku ini.
Buku ini berakhir dengan sejarah perkembangan tradisi Sufisme di mana sekali lagi ia adalah ditulis dari perspektif ‘orang dalam’. Penerokaan penulis kepada tohmahan dan kritikan yang dilemparkan kepada Sufisme terutamanya yang berkait dengan faham kemajuan/kemunduran, keaslian/peniruan adalah mencerahkan dan menjadikan buku ini tergolong di dalam liga yang tersendiri untuk genre-nya yang ditulis di dalam Bahasa Inggeris.
November 14, 2018
قرأته مترجما وأرى أن الترجمة أخذت من بهائه الكثير. راجعت النص الإنجليزي ووجدته أيسر في الفهم. واحد من تلك الكتب التي لا يمكن قرائتها مرة واحدة..
October 31, 2021
This book was much more confusing than I reckoned when I picked it up. I had heard that the only interesting version of Islam was the Sufi sect, so I was looking for books and this one piqued my interest. Once I got the book, it was pretty woo-woo but I kept going. This is the story of how the book went from 3 to 4 to 2 stars.
The book started off very heavily metaphorical, using the metaphor of a wave (which felt pretty universalist), where the ocean was all religion, waves as different religions, and the stuff that stays behind in holes and caves (after the waves recede) is the stuff that "exotericists" pay attention to, while the "esotericists" are those who pay attention to the wave as it recedes.
The author makes quite a few metaphors such as seeking the center of a circle via the radius), but they feel unmoored as we don't know much if anything about Islam within the first half of the book. They seem to want to appeal to the spiritual reader more than anything. The book early on did have some interesting points which I could grasp onto, such as Originality being difficult, whereas grotesqueness is easy.
The author claims that Sufism is solidly grounded in Islamic tradition, but can “pluck flowers” from elsewhere (“Seek knowledge even if it be in China” - Mohammad). Sufism is described as a bridge between east and west, but this isn't explored much.
The book betrayed is dogmatism (under a veneer of multiculturalism and universalism) by unironically mentioning the "miracles of Mohammad," going so far as to say that unlike Moses’ and Christ’s miracles, Mohammad’s don’t take center stage (yeah, because he never claimed to do any lmao).
The entire time I was reading the book, I felt as if the author (and Sufism by extension) were grasping at straws the whole time. An example is the obsessive reading and recitation of the Quran and other mantras; they describe “Seeking to be drowned” by the Quran, and there is no problem with reading without comprehending. This approach is antithetical to the Christian approach, wherein those who speak in tongues but who don't have a translator are not allowed to speak, and Christians are warned against the "vain repetitions" of the pagans, instead emphasizing exotericism far above esotericism.
The author fails to explain the weird relationship between Muslims and the Quran being God and stuff, only hinting at stuff, perhaps to get someone interested?). The author accidentally speaks frankly on some things which today wouldn't want to be admitted by those wanting to make Islam palatable to westerners, including “The Islamic revelation embraces every aspect of human life, leaving absolutely nothing to ‘Caesar’”. This is an implicit admission of no separation between church and state, whereas it is laid out explicitly later.
The author stresses that all the verses of the Quran have multiple meanings (inner and outer, esoteric and exoteric, literal and mystical), such as jihad being outwardly a struggle with infidels, but inwardly being a struggle with “sinful nature” (infidel within). This doesn't help much at all, since the "superficial" (surface) reading is disgusting as Ham Sarris and so many others have pointed out. I take issue with the author's attempt (and by extension, Sufism's attempt) to wring water from this camel dung. Well written holy books like the bible have verses and stories with inexplicit or even arbitrary meaning, whereas the Quran seems to be so on the head that you can't get much out of it, and you must totally flaunt the superficial meaning to get anything halfway interesting out of it. The funny part is that these Sufi think of themselves as better than the exoteric majority (they call themselves the slaves of God). They use this questionable exegetical approach to claim certain verses talk specifically about and to them.
Continuing with the book, the author mentions Mohammad is an incarnation of the Quran, but the Quran was supposed to literally be God? Does that mean that they’re deifying Mohammad? Regardless of that, claiming that Mohammad was the perfect man should put someone in the mental ward or at least on the sex offender registry. Mohammad's teachings also are utterly absent of grace, and are entirely merit-based, with no guarantee of salvation or forgiveness.
There are some cool quotes though:
“We have no choice but to match our own rhythms with those of the infinite.”
“We are reminded of the saying of a Persian Sufi: ‘I went in and left myself outside’ for since nothing can be added to the Paradise of the Infinite, only nothing can enter it.”
“According to Sufi doctrine all life is divine” Um, either that's supporting veganism or pantheism, which I don't think the author or Sufi authorities intended.... there seem to be unnecessary complications like this, or like saying that God is in everything.... I mean it just makes much more sense to say God created everything, but not that God IS everything... the author attempts to deflect the pantheism accusations, but the defense falls flat. “There is no being but God nor anything in the worlds of the universe save Him Alone” So what else is there? He is everything, literally?. Their response to contradiction? “Relax the mind and learn to swim”. They claim that these are just paradoxes and operate similarly to Zen koan, because they are “mental crisis” which one meditates on until supra-rational intuition springs out. They are different in kind, however, I'll explain near the end.
Sufi mystics see the Heart as the eye with which the soul sees truly, not something which is the seat of emotion, as often is thought. Thus the fall into sin (which they apparently also have?) signals a severance from access to the heart. They discriminate between Mind-knowledge and Heart-knowledge, which I find to be wise and making explicit something in OT scripture (especially Proverbs and Psalms, but also in 1 Corinthians and elsewhere), namely the worldly wisdom (of sciences and philosophy) and the godly, revealed wisdom (of moral matters).
Sufis don’t really proselytize, but instead they say people come because they are “haunted by the thought of God”. I liked that, and I also liked this near-echo of a biblical verse: “I was a Hidden Treasure and I wished to be known and so I created the world’”
There is a really disgusting part where Mohammad says “perfume and women have been made dear to me, and coolness hath been brought to mine eyes in the prayer”, which basically translates to “yeah, I’m a hoe, but I also love praying!” I find disturbing how little effort it seems Mohammad puts into controlling his lusts. Sure, he talks a big talk, but in his dealings with women it's pretty obvious that he's a womanizer. Thus I do not believe the Islamic claims to renouncing worldliness. One cannot be a rich warmonger & womanizer and still claim to not be worldly. It’s really pathetic that this is “one of the best known utterances of the Prophet” ….he really is a piece of shit, and obviously a false prophet.
One of the many metaphors was that of Divine truth as fire: Lore of Certainty (hearing the fire described, head-knowledge), Eye of Certainty (sees the fire, Heart-Knowledge), and Truth of Certainty (being consumed in the fire of divinity, extinction of all otherness). These metaphors are of varying quality and clarity. This one works better than some of the others. Along with it is this explanation:
“The purpose of the main body of the doctrine is to convey to the mind as much as can be mentally understood so that reason, imagination, and the other faculties may be penetrated by the truth, each after its own fashion” (i.e. it brings the mental understanding to its limit so the person may finally cross into heart-understanding). This fits into a sequence: doctrine, understanding, perplexity, enlightenment; the seed, the stalk, the bud, the flower. I kinda like that, but I take issue that it looks down on common adherents.
Takes a super deep dive into the Shahada (literally only 4 words of it, “no god but Allah”), and it felt like they were trying to do a lot with a little:
No - Absolute, signpost of direction to go away from
god - “those who make gods of their passions” (things less than God)
but - or rather “if not”; an “escape from the prison of coagulated forms, and it points the way to the final solution”
Allah - iykyk
The shahada is made up only of the letters which form the name of Allah, which is neat, but as we saw before there's issues with their own ideas of God, specifically if he's pantheistic, or if he has multiplicity, as below:
It talks about “The fiveness of the Divine Presence does not contradict its oneness, that is the oneness of Being, for it is always the same Presence”. This is said without any irony, totally ceding ground to their christian opponents, and causing unnecessary confusion and contradiction, as their attempts to claim that Allah has fivenesses or other numbers, or when it says the Quran is also Allah (but not explaining that, whereas Christians state that the Word, the Logos is the second person of the trinity). They just really don't understand Christ, and attempt conflating the transfiguration of Christ with the “overwhelming” of Mohammad (where he feels like he’s being choked, going insane, and being talked to by Satan, totally the same thing… do these guys not read their own ahadith?)
They claim that creation was created as a “veil”, a “screen for the Truth”, i.e. it obfuscates instead of revealing God, which is antipathetic to natural theology and is in a sense gnostic.
By the time that we get to chapter 7 (third to last chapter of the book), we finally get a description of such basic Islamic tenets as the 5 pillars, and one wonders why the author chose to basically write the book in reverse order. It ends with an unfortunately uninteresting litany of Arabic names and dates. Perhaps this frontloading with spiritual matters was to grab those who may be interested in joining Sufism, and the author knew enough that starting a book off dryly would bore potential converts and would feel too much like a textbook. Instead, we are left to drift and are never really sure where the author is going to take us or why. Finally at the end we basically stop caring. I’m a little disappointed, as everyone in the reviews had been praising this book as expertly written, but I don’t think it was. They seem to have come down with a case of Rian Johnson syndrome.
At this point we have more discussion of the Shahada; it has Shahada has two parts, “There is no god but Allah” and “Mohammad is his messenger”. These are each dissected in such detail that it makes one wonder why Muslims have to go off of so little. The author unconvincingly attempts to compare these with Zen Koans, but at least Koans are varied and have at their root some interesting paradox; these Islamic dogmas are as dry and substanceless. No wonder why adherents must repeat the Shahada and other small bits thousands of times before they get anything from them, because by that time you get bored and come up with something on your own. With a Koan, you are met with a contradiction, a puzzle, and there is something substantial (i.e. not merely abstract) to go off of.
At one point we get mention of spontaneous, supplication prayers, but we are never told when those are to be prayed or how. Similarly, there is talk of the “multiplicitous unity of Allah”, but it seems more of that muddled stuff from before. The author claims that the purpose of a miracle is to produce utter certainty within a soul (which is interesting), and we finally answer "What is Sufism?": It is the replacing of the fallen heart with the Name of God, which restores harmony.
This restoration of harmony is achieved by a regression, rather than a progression. Christianity, like most honest religions, claims that you “convert” (from unbelief or ignorance), whereas Islam claims everyone is born a Muslim, but many just fall away, and when you convert you’re actually reverting. Likewise, the author of this book betrays that it’s a spiritual regress by claiming Islam is the “restoration of the primordial religion”. Islam, by attempting to be the final revelation, simultaneously attempts to set itself up as the first revelation as well, the primordial religion. Perhaps this is why it is such a backwards religion and treats women and slaves so badly?
There are other massive claims tucked away in otherwise innocuous sentences. One such is that the Quran claims we “lend unto God a goodly loan that he may double it for him”, i.e. that our good works put God in a deficit and he then owes us, which, true, is primordial, but it’s also childish and anti-christian (the author claims “such texts are basic in all religions”, which they simply aren’t, especially in eastern religions and Christianity; you don't do good works to impress Buddha or the Tao).
There is an interesting talk of qabd (contraction) and bast (expansion) in which qabd is what discipline one maintains throughout the day (typified in fast days when you don’t eat until sundown) and bast is when you relax at night. This seems backwards to me, that night is a more vulnerable time and is best to keep guard and fast then, and during the day, when our works are noticed by others, to be active and expanding, but what do I know. These daily fast terms are also expanded to “seasons” in one’s life when one acts more ascetic and then afterwards when one goes back into the world (whereby you see if you really learned anything, or if you relapse). Funny enough, this expansion is referred to as “drunkenness”, and there’s another interpretation of these two terms which I really like, where qabd is the sober mind and bast is the drunken (or flow) state of mind (which puts it into a creative/artistic context).
There is much talk of self (ego) “extinction”, which feels quite Buddhist and was never explained in terms of resurrection (in fact that entire belief might not have been mentioned at all in the book). Even more annoying than the Buddhist borrowings was the Christian borrowings, which the author doesn’t cite, but uses quite frequently ("Let not the left hand know what the right…"; "if salt loses its saltiness…"; "separating wheat from the chaff…"; etc.). Either this is a sly way to explain things to Christians / people from a Christian context, or this is due to Islam’s poverty of imagery (or perhaps both).
Nearer the end of the book the author gets a little salty and spicy, making assertions like “Without mysticism, Reality would have no voice in the world.” The author is especially dismissive of atheists and agnostics, and doesn’t understand/appreciate the power of the scientific approach or the modernist mindset. Instead, he asserts that those two are just a revolt against the “exoteric” (common religion) which comes from a lack of understanding or depth, and of course the author thinks that only esoteric mysticism (like Sufism) is the remedy. The author is especially suspicious and dismissive of those who take drugs to reach “religious” experience, instead calling it “psychic”:
“The idea that any comparable result could be achieved by taking a pill betrays a disqualifying lack of sense of the sacred -- ‘sense of god’, we might say”
The last chapter, as mentioned earlier, mostly deals with history and is very dry and unhelpful, but it starts off with the frank admission that Islam established a theocracy. It goes further and claims that those first Muslims were “the best” and Islam has only gotten worse since then (which sets the bar pretty low). If Mohammad and his followers are to be the example, then I can’t imagine what levels of depravity the author was complaining about.
In the end this book was a letdown, but it was helpful in a couple ways. I need to read the Quran, and this primer gave me insight into one way that Muslims read it, which may help liven it up and clear some sand out of the crevices.
The book started off very heavily metaphorical, using the metaphor of a wave (which felt pretty universalist), where the ocean was all religion, waves as different religions, and the stuff that stays behind in holes and caves (after the waves recede) is the stuff that "exotericists" pay attention to, while the "esotericists" are those who pay attention to the wave as it recedes.
The author makes quite a few metaphors such as seeking the center of a circle via the radius), but they feel unmoored as we don't know much if anything about Islam within the first half of the book. They seem to want to appeal to the spiritual reader more than anything. The book early on did have some interesting points which I could grasp onto, such as Originality being difficult, whereas grotesqueness is easy.
The author claims that Sufism is solidly grounded in Islamic tradition, but can “pluck flowers” from elsewhere (“Seek knowledge even if it be in China” - Mohammad). Sufism is described as a bridge between east and west, but this isn't explored much.
The book betrayed is dogmatism (under a veneer of multiculturalism and universalism) by unironically mentioning the "miracles of Mohammad," going so far as to say that unlike Moses’ and Christ’s miracles, Mohammad’s don’t take center stage (yeah, because he never claimed to do any lmao).
The entire time I was reading the book, I felt as if the author (and Sufism by extension) were grasping at straws the whole time. An example is the obsessive reading and recitation of the Quran and other mantras; they describe “Seeking to be drowned” by the Quran, and there is no problem with reading without comprehending. This approach is antithetical to the Christian approach, wherein those who speak in tongues but who don't have a translator are not allowed to speak, and Christians are warned against the "vain repetitions" of the pagans, instead emphasizing exotericism far above esotericism.
The author fails to explain the weird relationship between Muslims and the Quran being God and stuff, only hinting at stuff, perhaps to get someone interested?). The author accidentally speaks frankly on some things which today wouldn't want to be admitted by those wanting to make Islam palatable to westerners, including “The Islamic revelation embraces every aspect of human life, leaving absolutely nothing to ‘Caesar’”. This is an implicit admission of no separation between church and state, whereas it is laid out explicitly later.
The author stresses that all the verses of the Quran have multiple meanings (inner and outer, esoteric and exoteric, literal and mystical), such as jihad being outwardly a struggle with infidels, but inwardly being a struggle with “sinful nature” (infidel within). This doesn't help much at all, since the "superficial" (surface) reading is disgusting as Ham Sarris and so many others have pointed out. I take issue with the author's attempt (and by extension, Sufism's attempt) to wring water from this camel dung. Well written holy books like the bible have verses and stories with inexplicit or even arbitrary meaning, whereas the Quran seems to be so on the head that you can't get much out of it, and you must totally flaunt the superficial meaning to get anything halfway interesting out of it. The funny part is that these Sufi think of themselves as better than the exoteric majority (they call themselves the slaves of God). They use this questionable exegetical approach to claim certain verses talk specifically about and to them.
Continuing with the book, the author mentions Mohammad is an incarnation of the Quran, but the Quran was supposed to literally be God? Does that mean that they’re deifying Mohammad? Regardless of that, claiming that Mohammad was the perfect man should put someone in the mental ward or at least on the sex offender registry. Mohammad's teachings also are utterly absent of grace, and are entirely merit-based, with no guarantee of salvation or forgiveness.
There are some cool quotes though:
“We have no choice but to match our own rhythms with those of the infinite.”
“We are reminded of the saying of a Persian Sufi: ‘I went in and left myself outside’ for since nothing can be added to the Paradise of the Infinite, only nothing can enter it.”
“According to Sufi doctrine all life is divine” Um, either that's supporting veganism or pantheism, which I don't think the author or Sufi authorities intended.... there seem to be unnecessary complications like this, or like saying that God is in everything.... I mean it just makes much more sense to say God created everything, but not that God IS everything... the author attempts to deflect the pantheism accusations, but the defense falls flat. “There is no being but God nor anything in the worlds of the universe save Him Alone” So what else is there? He is everything, literally?. Their response to contradiction? “Relax the mind and learn to swim”. They claim that these are just paradoxes and operate similarly to Zen koan, because they are “mental crisis” which one meditates on until supra-rational intuition springs out. They are different in kind, however, I'll explain near the end.
Sufi mystics see the Heart as the eye with which the soul sees truly, not something which is the seat of emotion, as often is thought. Thus the fall into sin (which they apparently also have?) signals a severance from access to the heart. They discriminate between Mind-knowledge and Heart-knowledge, which I find to be wise and making explicit something in OT scripture (especially Proverbs and Psalms, but also in 1 Corinthians and elsewhere), namely the worldly wisdom (of sciences and philosophy) and the godly, revealed wisdom (of moral matters).
Sufis don’t really proselytize, but instead they say people come because they are “haunted by the thought of God”. I liked that, and I also liked this near-echo of a biblical verse: “I was a Hidden Treasure and I wished to be known and so I created the world’”
There is a really disgusting part where Mohammad says “perfume and women have been made dear to me, and coolness hath been brought to mine eyes in the prayer”, which basically translates to “yeah, I’m a hoe, but I also love praying!” I find disturbing how little effort it seems Mohammad puts into controlling his lusts. Sure, he talks a big talk, but in his dealings with women it's pretty obvious that he's a womanizer. Thus I do not believe the Islamic claims to renouncing worldliness. One cannot be a rich warmonger & womanizer and still claim to not be worldly. It’s really pathetic that this is “one of the best known utterances of the Prophet” ….he really is a piece of shit, and obviously a false prophet.
One of the many metaphors was that of Divine truth as fire: Lore of Certainty (hearing the fire described, head-knowledge), Eye of Certainty (sees the fire, Heart-Knowledge), and Truth of Certainty (being consumed in the fire of divinity, extinction of all otherness). These metaphors are of varying quality and clarity. This one works better than some of the others. Along with it is this explanation:
“The purpose of the main body of the doctrine is to convey to the mind as much as can be mentally understood so that reason, imagination, and the other faculties may be penetrated by the truth, each after its own fashion” (i.e. it brings the mental understanding to its limit so the person may finally cross into heart-understanding). This fits into a sequence: doctrine, understanding, perplexity, enlightenment; the seed, the stalk, the bud, the flower. I kinda like that, but I take issue that it looks down on common adherents.
Takes a super deep dive into the Shahada (literally only 4 words of it, “no god but Allah”), and it felt like they were trying to do a lot with a little:
No - Absolute, signpost of direction to go away from
god - “those who make gods of their passions” (things less than God)
but - or rather “if not”; an “escape from the prison of coagulated forms, and it points the way to the final solution”
Allah - iykyk
The shahada is made up only of the letters which form the name of Allah, which is neat, but as we saw before there's issues with their own ideas of God, specifically if he's pantheistic, or if he has multiplicity, as below:
It talks about “The fiveness of the Divine Presence does not contradict its oneness, that is the oneness of Being, for it is always the same Presence”. This is said without any irony, totally ceding ground to their christian opponents, and causing unnecessary confusion and contradiction, as their attempts to claim that Allah has fivenesses or other numbers, or when it says the Quran is also Allah (but not explaining that, whereas Christians state that the Word, the Logos is the second person of the trinity). They just really don't understand Christ, and attempt conflating the transfiguration of Christ with the “overwhelming” of Mohammad (where he feels like he’s being choked, going insane, and being talked to by Satan, totally the same thing… do these guys not read their own ahadith?)
They claim that creation was created as a “veil”, a “screen for the Truth”, i.e. it obfuscates instead of revealing God, which is antipathetic to natural theology and is in a sense gnostic.
By the time that we get to chapter 7 (third to last chapter of the book), we finally get a description of such basic Islamic tenets as the 5 pillars, and one wonders why the author chose to basically write the book in reverse order. It ends with an unfortunately uninteresting litany of Arabic names and dates. Perhaps this frontloading with spiritual matters was to grab those who may be interested in joining Sufism, and the author knew enough that starting a book off dryly would bore potential converts and would feel too much like a textbook. Instead, we are left to drift and are never really sure where the author is going to take us or why. Finally at the end we basically stop caring. I’m a little disappointed, as everyone in the reviews had been praising this book as expertly written, but I don’t think it was. They seem to have come down with a case of Rian Johnson syndrome.
At this point we have more discussion of the Shahada; it has Shahada has two parts, “There is no god but Allah” and “Mohammad is his messenger”. These are each dissected in such detail that it makes one wonder why Muslims have to go off of so little. The author unconvincingly attempts to compare these with Zen Koans, but at least Koans are varied and have at their root some interesting paradox; these Islamic dogmas are as dry and substanceless. No wonder why adherents must repeat the Shahada and other small bits thousands of times before they get anything from them, because by that time you get bored and come up with something on your own. With a Koan, you are met with a contradiction, a puzzle, and there is something substantial (i.e. not merely abstract) to go off of.
At one point we get mention of spontaneous, supplication prayers, but we are never told when those are to be prayed or how. Similarly, there is talk of the “multiplicitous unity of Allah”, but it seems more of that muddled stuff from before. The author claims that the purpose of a miracle is to produce utter certainty within a soul (which is interesting), and we finally answer "What is Sufism?": It is the replacing of the fallen heart with the Name of God, which restores harmony.
This restoration of harmony is achieved by a regression, rather than a progression. Christianity, like most honest religions, claims that you “convert” (from unbelief or ignorance), whereas Islam claims everyone is born a Muslim, but many just fall away, and when you convert you’re actually reverting. Likewise, the author of this book betrays that it’s a spiritual regress by claiming Islam is the “restoration of the primordial religion”. Islam, by attempting to be the final revelation, simultaneously attempts to set itself up as the first revelation as well, the primordial religion. Perhaps this is why it is such a backwards religion and treats women and slaves so badly?
There are other massive claims tucked away in otherwise innocuous sentences. One such is that the Quran claims we “lend unto God a goodly loan that he may double it for him”, i.e. that our good works put God in a deficit and he then owes us, which, true, is primordial, but it’s also childish and anti-christian (the author claims “such texts are basic in all religions”, which they simply aren’t, especially in eastern religions and Christianity; you don't do good works to impress Buddha or the Tao).
There is an interesting talk of qabd (contraction) and bast (expansion) in which qabd is what discipline one maintains throughout the day (typified in fast days when you don’t eat until sundown) and bast is when you relax at night. This seems backwards to me, that night is a more vulnerable time and is best to keep guard and fast then, and during the day, when our works are noticed by others, to be active and expanding, but what do I know. These daily fast terms are also expanded to “seasons” in one’s life when one acts more ascetic and then afterwards when one goes back into the world (whereby you see if you really learned anything, or if you relapse). Funny enough, this expansion is referred to as “drunkenness”, and there’s another interpretation of these two terms which I really like, where qabd is the sober mind and bast is the drunken (or flow) state of mind (which puts it into a creative/artistic context).
There is much talk of self (ego) “extinction”, which feels quite Buddhist and was never explained in terms of resurrection (in fact that entire belief might not have been mentioned at all in the book). Even more annoying than the Buddhist borrowings was the Christian borrowings, which the author doesn’t cite, but uses quite frequently ("Let not the left hand know what the right…"; "if salt loses its saltiness…"; "separating wheat from the chaff…"; etc.). Either this is a sly way to explain things to Christians / people from a Christian context, or this is due to Islam’s poverty of imagery (or perhaps both).
Nearer the end of the book the author gets a little salty and spicy, making assertions like “Without mysticism, Reality would have no voice in the world.” The author is especially dismissive of atheists and agnostics, and doesn’t understand/appreciate the power of the scientific approach or the modernist mindset. Instead, he asserts that those two are just a revolt against the “exoteric” (common religion) which comes from a lack of understanding or depth, and of course the author thinks that only esoteric mysticism (like Sufism) is the remedy. The author is especially suspicious and dismissive of those who take drugs to reach “religious” experience, instead calling it “psychic”:
“The idea that any comparable result could be achieved by taking a pill betrays a disqualifying lack of sense of the sacred -- ‘sense of god’, we might say”
The last chapter, as mentioned earlier, mostly deals with history and is very dry and unhelpful, but it starts off with the frank admission that Islam established a theocracy. It goes further and claims that those first Muslims were “the best” and Islam has only gotten worse since then (which sets the bar pretty low). If Mohammad and his followers are to be the example, then I can’t imagine what levels of depravity the author was complaining about.
In the end this book was a letdown, but it was helpful in a couple ways. I need to read the Quran, and this primer gave me insight into one way that Muslims read it, which may help liven it up and clear some sand out of the crevices.
April 13, 2019
Nice, informative and short introduction to Sufism, in line with teachings of the author's master, Frithjof Schuon. It won't top Schuon's introduction though, sometimes it quotes from it:)
December 7, 2018
Some of my favorite sections of the book which give an insight into its general tone:
" The sight of a beautiful landscape, for example, arouses not only wonder and delight but also longing inasmuch as the subject cannot merge with the object; and this longing is no less than a degree of the already mentioned presentiment of one's higher possibilities, a degree of 'remembrance' that in the archetypal world of the Spirit a merging of subject with object actually does take place....
One of the Qur'an's most central teachings is: 'Do not look on the things of this world as independent realities, for they are all in fact entirely dependent for their existence on the Hidden Treasure whose Glory they were created to reveal.'...
(The minority of mystics) seek, as we have seen, to identify themselves with the Prophet and to ebb as he ebbs in response to the Revelation. In other words, it must be for the traveller as if the Revelation has come directly to him, in his Heart; and this ka' anna, like all the other 'as ifs' of Sufism, is only possible on the basis of certainty.... "
" The sight of a beautiful landscape, for example, arouses not only wonder and delight but also longing inasmuch as the subject cannot merge with the object; and this longing is no less than a degree of the already mentioned presentiment of one's higher possibilities, a degree of 'remembrance' that in the archetypal world of the Spirit a merging of subject with object actually does take place....
One of the Qur'an's most central teachings is: 'Do not look on the things of this world as independent realities, for they are all in fact entirely dependent for their existence on the Hidden Treasure whose Glory they were created to reveal.'...
(The minority of mystics) seek, as we have seen, to identify themselves with the Prophet and to ebb as he ebbs in response to the Revelation. In other words, it must be for the traveller as if the Revelation has come directly to him, in his Heart; and this ka' anna, like all the other 'as ifs' of Sufism, is only possible on the basis of certainty.... "
August 13, 2016
This book was quite valuable for my World Religions class project about Sufism. I cannot think my friend enough for lending me this book. It is not your average non-fiction book. This is a beautifully written book, that compiled rich information in an accessible manner. the writing style is SO BEAUTIFUL. I have consulted Titus Burckhardt's 'Introduction to Sufi Doctrine', and although his book is quite rich with information and methodical; yet the style isn't as 'magical' as Lings'.
I highly recommend this for anyone interested in the subject of Mysticism, and Sufism. This is an introductory decent dose of Sufism. I say 'introductory', but I don't mean 'simple and shallow'; no the book is quite deep.
Enjoy!
Will definitely reread it later. At times, reading it felt like a prayer, just the right book for my taste :)
I highly recommend this for anyone interested in the subject of Mysticism, and Sufism. This is an introductory decent dose of Sufism. I say 'introductory', but I don't mean 'simple and shallow'; no the book is quite deep.
Enjoy!
Will definitely reread it later. At times, reading it felt like a prayer, just the right book for my taste :)
November 7, 2021
Fascinating introduction to Sufism, its history, beliefs, practices, its status in Islamic society throughout history as a trans-national spiritual elite divorced from the larger orthopraxic community, the turuq (orders) and their praxis; and an introduction to certain prominent Sufis including ibn Arabi, Rumi and Rabiah. Although the metaphors did lose me quite a few times with their tantalizing vagueness, nevertheless a good enough introductory read. Note that it is an affective overview from within the system, rather than a descriptive overview.
February 13, 2021
Sufism is in itself a world of knowledge. This book no doubt requires a prior interest or a glimpse into the alphabets of Sufism. I can say I finished the reading in three days out of interest. It will be hard to say I got it in the full sense. Maybe it will take two or four readings more to get to all points. The reading was fantastic and as usual, Dr Martin Lings is an underrated personality. Peace:)
July 17, 2007
good intro
Read
September 5, 2010best guide to SUFI Making and practice to Ziker
February 28, 2025
This one is a gentle yet profound exploration of the mystical heart of Islam. With clarity and poetic grace, Lings guides the reader through the labyrinth of Sufi thought, unwrapping layers of symbolism and spiritual practice that have long captivated seekers of divine love.
In this accessible introduction, Lings blends historical insight with philosophical reflection, inviting both the curious novice and the seasoned mystic to journey into the inner dimensions of spirituality. His writing is imbued with a serene warmth that makes the abstract tangible, transforming esoteric concepts into a living, breathing quest for union with the Divine.
Lings’ narrative does more than define Sufism—it illuminates its enduring values and timeless beauty. The book’s gentle cadence and thoughtful insights serve as a reminder that the path of Sufism is not confined to ritual or doctrine, but is a heartfelt journey toward self-discovery and spiritual awakening.
For those looking to understand the mystic traditions of Islam or seeking a deeper connection with the spiritual self, What is Sufism? offers a luminous guide. Its elegant prose and sincere wisdom make it a must-read, capable of stirring the soul and expanding the mind.
In this accessible introduction, Lings blends historical insight with philosophical reflection, inviting both the curious novice and the seasoned mystic to journey into the inner dimensions of spirituality. His writing is imbued with a serene warmth that makes the abstract tangible, transforming esoteric concepts into a living, breathing quest for union with the Divine.
Lings’ narrative does more than define Sufism—it illuminates its enduring values and timeless beauty. The book’s gentle cadence and thoughtful insights serve as a reminder that the path of Sufism is not confined to ritual or doctrine, but is a heartfelt journey toward self-discovery and spiritual awakening.
For those looking to understand the mystic traditions of Islam or seeking a deeper connection with the spiritual self, What is Sufism? offers a luminous guide. Its elegant prose and sincere wisdom make it a must-read, capable of stirring the soul and expanding the mind.
December 26, 2024
Salah satu yang khas dari tulisan² perennial spt Syekh Abdul Wahid Yahya dan Syekh Isa Nuruddin Ahmad adalah, dibutuhkan kemampuan abstraksi yang lumayan utk bisa memahami apa yang sebenarnya hendak disampaikan para beliau. Seyyed Hossein Nasr sedikit bisa dikecualikan karena beliau masih keturunan dekat seorang Imam sufi dan tentu saja seorang muslim dari lahir, adapun Syekh Ibrahim Izzuddin saya belum membaca karyanya yang berkenaan ttg Tasawuf.
Kembali ke buku ini. Hemat saya sendiri, kalau dibanding dg Book of Certainty, buku ini lebih dekat dengan alam fikiran keseharian tradisi para sufi yang saya ketahui. Book of Certainty lebih menerangkan kepada eksposisi ta'wil sedangkan buku ini membahas bbrp asumsi dasar yang diyakini dan dipegang teguh para sufi dalam ungkapan bahasa tokoh perennial.
Karena itu dalam banyak hal, saya merasa mendapat lebih banyak hal dan pemahaman laku dari buku jni ketimbang Book of Certainty. Tapi mungkin krn faktor "bab² bahasan yang menarik" dr Book of Certaintu itulah yg membuat saya bisa meletakkannya ke shelf favorite sedangkan buku ini, mungkin "tidak sefavorit itu" buat saya. Demikian.
Kembali ke buku ini. Hemat saya sendiri, kalau dibanding dg Book of Certainty, buku ini lebih dekat dengan alam fikiran keseharian tradisi para sufi yang saya ketahui. Book of Certainty lebih menerangkan kepada eksposisi ta'wil sedangkan buku ini membahas bbrp asumsi dasar yang diyakini dan dipegang teguh para sufi dalam ungkapan bahasa tokoh perennial.
Karena itu dalam banyak hal, saya merasa mendapat lebih banyak hal dan pemahaman laku dari buku jni ketimbang Book of Certainty. Tapi mungkin krn faktor "bab² bahasan yang menarik" dr Book of Certaintu itulah yg membuat saya bisa meletakkannya ke shelf favorite sedangkan buku ini, mungkin "tidak sefavorit itu" buat saya. Demikian.
April 20, 2020
هذا الكتاب تمهيدي لا غير، ويُعتبر كمقدمه فقط للصوفيه وعالم التصوف فيناقش المعلومات بطريقه بطيئه وممله خاليه من التشويق، لا ينفع من كان لديه إلمام سابق عميق في الصوفيه بل قد ينفع من هو جديد في هذا المجال ويريد التعرف عليه بصوره عشوائيه من مقتضب وجهات النظر، قد ينفع ايضاً ان ينمي طفلاً ويناغي تعدد معارفه..
This book is preliminary, and it's considered only as an introduction of Sufism and the world of Sufism, discussing information in a slow and boring way free from suspense, it does not benefit those who had a deep previous knowledge of Sufism, but it may benefit who is new in this field and wants to know it randomly from the brief views, It may also be useful to develop a child and to counteract the multiplicity of acquaintances.
#ahmed_k_masterly
This book is preliminary, and it's considered only as an introduction of Sufism and the world of Sufism, discussing information in a slow and boring way free from suspense, it does not benefit those who had a deep previous knowledge of Sufism, but it may benefit who is new in this field and wants to know it randomly from the brief views, It may also be useful to develop a child and to counteract the multiplicity of acquaintances.
#ahmed_k_masterly
March 15, 2018
ما الصوفية؟
بالنسبة لي هذا الكتاب بسيط جداً و معقد جداً في ان... كالصوفية بالضبط
فهي طريق روحاني يعبر فيه الشخص للوصول الى المعرفة الحقيقة او بالمختصر الى الله.. قد تجعل الانسان بسيطا في شكله وملبسه و ظاهر حياته.. ولكنها بنفس الوقت تغوص في اعماقه و اعماق الكون من حوله و تذهب الى الباطن الى ما هو معقد جداً
ما يعجبني في الصوفية انهم كجماعة او مذهب او سمهم ما شئت هم مسالمون بشكل عام و متسامحون مع الاخر
الكتاب جيد نوعا ما ولكن ربما و لعمق الصوفية فإني لم افهم كل ما فيه بالدقة التي كنت اريدها...
بالنسبة لي هذا الكتاب بسيط جداً و معقد جداً في ان... كالصوفية بالضبط
فهي طريق روحاني يعبر فيه الشخص للوصول الى المعرفة الحقيقة او بالمختصر الى الله.. قد تجعل الانسان بسيطا في شكله وملبسه و ظاهر حياته.. ولكنها بنفس الوقت تغوص في اعماقه و اعماق الكون من حوله و تذهب الى الباطن الى ما هو معقد جداً
ما يعجبني في الصوفية انهم كجماعة او مذهب او سمهم ما شئت هم مسالمون بشكل عام و متسامحون مع الاخر
الكتاب جيد نوعا ما ولكن ربما و لعمق الصوفية فإني لم افهم كل ما فيه بالدقة التي كنت اريدها...
July 30, 2020
Livre très intéressant écrit par un connaisseur. On se rend compte, grâce à ce livre, de l'originalité du soufisme, de sa fonction, de sa doctrine, de sa méthode ainsi que de ses évolutions historiques.
April 5, 2023
If you wanted to know what Sufism is . This is the book. The book is too knowledgable and precise . The author has beautifully crafted the nitty grottoes of Sufism with great detailing and seriousness . One of my best reads last year
April 21, 2025
I understand the whole “let’s give some background information to a subject that is misunderstood frequently” but this was waaaayyyyy too intellectualised (or I don’t have enough braincells to comprehend lol either way this book was not for me)
February 25, 2018
It was a very dense book, but presented a great summary of Sufism. I enjoyed seeing translations of some important terms such "heart-wakefulness" and "scattered negligence."
January 10, 2025
Was a bit difficult read for me in terms of understanding some concepts. Maybe it was just my lack of enough knowledge and comprehension.
July 18, 2025
maybe in another lifetime
January 2, 2009
One of a few books I didn't finish, but feel I read enough of to qualify for this list. (See my "read-about-half-and-then-quit" bookshelf.) A concise, fascinating look at Islamic mysticism, categorized along the four main schools. I wanted to and should have finished this one, but was young when I attempted it.
December 9, 2013
Decent summary of Sufism, taking into account the traditionalist view (ie. as a side-product of Islam), with a few snippets of comparative religion analysis here and there. Some great quotes from respect Sufi masters of the past. Quite dense, and covers a lot in a small space.
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