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Library of Arabic Literature
The Principles of Sufism
'A'ishah al-Ba'uniyyah (d. 923/1517) of Damascus was one of the great women scholars in Islamic history. A mystic and prolific poet and writer, 'A'ishah composed more works in Arabic than any other woman before the twentieth 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. She recounts 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.
A bilingual Arabic-English edition.
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. She recounts 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.
A bilingual Arabic-English edition.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2014
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October 13, 2021
An exceptionally talented scholar and mystic from late fifteenth century Damascus, A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah is a remarkable figure in Islamic history. Authoring the most Arabic works than any other woman up until the twentieth century, her passion for literature, specifically spiritual prose and poetry, stemmed from her early study of the Islamic sciences and tasawwuf. Becoming a hafizah at the age of eight and going on to study fiqh, A’ishah was a devout Muslimah who dedicated her life to knowing God and His Messenger (a.s).
Supplementing the voices/works of others with her own personal literary ruminations, A’ishah’s blended approach in exemplifying the lifestyle of the devotee is unique, particularly in the context of the century in which she lived.
“There is much to celebrate in A’ishah’s unproblematic demonstration of learning.”
The core principles of Sufism, as expounded on in each chapter of this work, are repentance (tawbah), sincerity (ikhlas), remembrance (dhikr), love (muhabbah). Each principle is illustrated by Qur’anic ayat, ahadith, allegories and commentary – both her own and of other sufi masters.
I’m going to highlight some of my favourite excerpts from each chapter:
On repentance:
“Repentance is the foundation for the pillars of happiness. The servant will enter the Sufis’ mystical stages only through the door of repentance, and he will attain his goal only by holding fast to repentance.”
Sound opinion relayed to me
a prophetic tradition, not prattle,
That you are merciful and kind,
sweeping in forgiveness.
Master, prove my thoughts are true
quenching my thirst with generosity,
And erase all that You have written down
of my sins.
For Your promise of redemption is confirmed by words
related from the Prophet who spoke true
That You are with the servant who thinks of You,
so the One is there to protect him!
On sincerity:
Abu l-Darda related that the Messenger (a.s) said: “This world is cursed, and all that is in it is cursed, except what has been done for the sake of God the Exalted.”
What I found particularly interesting in this chapter was the necessity for inward and outward sincerity to mirror and be in harmony with each other.
A’ishah composed in her work Dīwān:
Be sincere, and with sincerity, be recorded as a believer
and leave hypocrisy, for that is polytheism
In the world, many snares appear for you
devised by wretched Satan who stalks his prey!
On remembrance:
“Be consumed in Our existence through your remembrance so that your remembrance will be realized.” – Al-Qushayri.
“The mystical Illusion is “Love God” because, the Pophet, God bless and cherish him, said, “Someone who loves something, remembers it often.” Therefore, he loves to say “God”, and does not forget God after recollecting God. It is said that this means that you remember God in your hearts. The only remembrance that is possible to sustain permanently is the remembrance with the heart, for permanent remembrance with the tongue is impossible.” Al-Qushayri.
“Remembering people is a disease; remembering God is a cure.”
On love:
“One of the masters on love said, “Love is the hearts’ delight in finding the beloved,”
Rabi’ah said; “The lover of God will never quiet his longing and sighing until he rests with his Beloved.”
————————————
Though a beautifully tender and poignant work, I would only recommend this to those who already have a basic understanding of sufism/tasawwuf and are familiar with sufi prose/poetry. It is not a book that delves into the history of sufism, so do not be misled by the title. There are certain poems/verses which may, at first glance, seem confusing or inappropriate (i.e. the common comparison of spiritual ecstasy to be being drunk, the use of the wine/bride metaphor), but this is due to the metaphorical/allegorical/symbolic nature of sufi writing; it is seldom intended literally, so bear this in mind if you do read this work (or indeed any work relating to tasawwuf). We often witness mistranslations of sufi works by orientalists who deliberately remove God from the picture and construe *practicing* Muslims as drunks or addicts… not only this but some quote lines from sufi poetry above love, aiming it towards their S.O.
It’s about God, not your ex, love.
“The Principles of Sufism provides for the woman reader seeking the voice of women in history an instructive example beyond its own intent pursuit of theological truths.”
Supplementing the voices/works of others with her own personal literary ruminations, A’ishah’s blended approach in exemplifying the lifestyle of the devotee is unique, particularly in the context of the century in which she lived.
“There is much to celebrate in A’ishah’s unproblematic demonstration of learning.”
The core principles of Sufism, as expounded on in each chapter of this work, are repentance (tawbah), sincerity (ikhlas), remembrance (dhikr), love (muhabbah). Each principle is illustrated by Qur’anic ayat, ahadith, allegories and commentary – both her own and of other sufi masters.
I’m going to highlight some of my favourite excerpts from each chapter:
On repentance:
“Repentance is the foundation for the pillars of happiness. The servant will enter the Sufis’ mystical stages only through the door of repentance, and he will attain his goal only by holding fast to repentance.”
Sound opinion relayed to me
a prophetic tradition, not prattle,
That you are merciful and kind,
sweeping in forgiveness.
Master, prove my thoughts are true
quenching my thirst with generosity,
And erase all that You have written down
of my sins.
For Your promise of redemption is confirmed by words
related from the Prophet who spoke true
That You are with the servant who thinks of You,
so the One is there to protect him!
On sincerity:
Abu l-Darda related that the Messenger (a.s) said: “This world is cursed, and all that is in it is cursed, except what has been done for the sake of God the Exalted.”
What I found particularly interesting in this chapter was the necessity for inward and outward sincerity to mirror and be in harmony with each other.
A’ishah composed in her work Dīwān:
Be sincere, and with sincerity, be recorded as a believer
and leave hypocrisy, for that is polytheism
In the world, many snares appear for you
devised by wretched Satan who stalks his prey!
On remembrance:
“Be consumed in Our existence through your remembrance so that your remembrance will be realized.” – Al-Qushayri.
“The mystical Illusion is “Love God” because, the Pophet, God bless and cherish him, said, “Someone who loves something, remembers it often.” Therefore, he loves to say “God”, and does not forget God after recollecting God. It is said that this means that you remember God in your hearts. The only remembrance that is possible to sustain permanently is the remembrance with the heart, for permanent remembrance with the tongue is impossible.” Al-Qushayri.
“Remembering people is a disease; remembering God is a cure.”
On love:
“One of the masters on love said, “Love is the hearts’ delight in finding the beloved,”
Rabi’ah said; “The lover of God will never quiet his longing and sighing until he rests with his Beloved.”
————————————
Though a beautifully tender and poignant work, I would only recommend this to those who already have a basic understanding of sufism/tasawwuf and are familiar with sufi prose/poetry. It is not a book that delves into the history of sufism, so do not be misled by the title. There are certain poems/verses which may, at first glance, seem confusing or inappropriate (i.e. the common comparison of spiritual ecstasy to be being drunk, the use of the wine/bride metaphor), but this is due to the metaphorical/allegorical/symbolic nature of sufi writing; it is seldom intended literally, so bear this in mind if you do read this work (or indeed any work relating to tasawwuf). We often witness mistranslations of sufi works by orientalists who deliberately remove God from the picture and construe *practicing* Muslims as drunks or addicts… not only this but some quote lines from sufi poetry above love, aiming it towards their S.O.
It’s about God, not your ex, love.
“The Principles of Sufism provides for the woman reader seeking the voice of women in history an instructive example beyond its own intent pursuit of theological truths.”
Read
May 20, 2017I'm not a Sufi and I'm not a Muslim, so a lot of the language game in here is meaningless to me. I don't really know its rules. I mean, I could probably sus out the various rules of use, a rough sketch, so to speak, but I doubt very much that I could make a meaningful statement according to those rules. I might be able to recognize that the language is being used meaningfully, but I cannot follow through on actualizing that meaningfulness. It's not that I can't understand what I read as in fact I can't understand the verso pages since they are written in Arabic with the Arabic alphabet ; after all, I exist within a monotheistic culture too and have always had access (more or less) to a multiplicity of language games, not all of which I could play successfully (like all sports in seventh grade -- > fail) ; I mean, I can in fact translate a fair amount here into a language whose rules I have a greater power over, but I end up mostly with trivial claims, nothing like the meaningfulness clearly demonstrated by this text's position in the history of this particular language-using community. I mean, if you believe, as some bigoted new atheists believe (due perhaps to a misreading of Wittgenstein or perhaps due to a fundamentalist commitment to an invalidated logical positivism), that the only kind of statement which can count as meaningful is one which can be successfully and fully translated into the language games of the physical sciences, the harder the better of course. Here's a 'definition' of a bigot, One who believes that no meaningfulness may exist less that meaningfulness be successfully performed in the bigot's preferred language game. Ie, outside my language game lies naught but meaninglessness.
September 22, 2020
Mostly a compilation of various ahadeeth concerning four primary tenets of Sufism: repentance, sincerity, remembrance, and love. The little original commentary is found in the epilogue. Al-Ba'uniyyah does include many of her own original poems, though, and they are wondrous.
Recommended for those with at least a basic grasp of Islam and Sufism, especially because a lot of text is taken up denoting chains of transmission and their quality (as does any book citing ahadeeth). Not a primer on Sufism as the title may suggest.
Recommended for those with at least a basic grasp of Islam and Sufism, especially because a lot of text is taken up denoting chains of transmission and their quality (as does any book citing ahadeeth). Not a primer on Sufism as the title may suggest.
Read
October 12, 2021An exceptionally talented scholar and mystic from late fifteenth century Damascus, A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah is a remarkable figure in Islamic history. Authoring the most Arabic works than any other woman until the twentieth century, her passion for literature, specifically spiritual prose and poetry, stemmed from her early study of the Islamic sciences and tasawwuf. Becoming a hafizah at the age of eight and going on to study fiqh, A’ishah was a devout Muslimah who dedicated her life to knowing God and His Messenger (a.s).
Supplementing the voices/works of others with her own personal literary ruminations, A’ishah’s blended approach in exemplifying the lifestyle of the devotee is unique, particularly in the context of the century in which she lived and in comparison to her male/western female counterparts.
“There is much to celebrate in A’ishah’s unproblematic demonstration of learning.”
The core principles of Sufism, as expounded on in each chapter of this work, are repentance (tawbah), sincerity (ikhlas), remembrance (dhikr), love (muhabbah). Each principle is illustrated by Qur’anic ayat, ahadith, allegories and commentary – both her own and of other sufi masters.
I’m going to highlight some of my favourite excerpts:
On repentance:
“Repentance is the foundation for the pillars of happiness. The servant will enter the Sufis’ mystical stages only through the door of repentance, and he will attain his goal only by holding fast to repentance.”
Sound opinion relayed to me
a prophetic tradition, not prattle,
That you are merciful and kind,
sweeping in forgiveness.
Master, prove my thoughts are true
quenching my thirst with generosity,
And erase all that You have written down
of my sins.
For Your promise of redemption is confirmed by words
related from the Prophet who spoke true
That You are with the servant who thinks of You,
so the One is there to protect him!
On sincerity:
Abu l-Darda related that the Messenger (a.s) said: “This world is cursed, and all that is in it is cursed, except what has been done for the sake of God the Exalted.”
What I found particularly interesting in this chapter was the necessity for inward and outward sincerity to mirror and be in harmony with each other.
A’ishah composed in her work Diwan:
Be sincere, and with sincerity, be recorded as a believer
and leave hypocrisy, for that is polytheism
In the world, many snares appear for you
devised by wretched Satan who stalks his prey!
On remembrance:
“Be consumed in Our existence through your remembrance so that your remembrance will be realized.” – Al-Qushayri.
The mystical Illusion is “Love God” because, the Pophet, God bless and cherish him, said, “Someone who loves something, remembers it often.” Therefore, he loves to say “God”, and does not forget God after recollecting God. It is said that this means that you remember God in your hearts. The only remembrance that is possible to sustain permanently is the remembrance with the heart, for permanent remembrance with the tongue is impossible.” Al-Qushayri.
“Remembering people is a disease; remembering God is a cure.”
On love:
“One of the masters on love said, “Love is the hearts’ delight in finding the beloved,”
Rabi’ah said; “The lover of God will never quiet his longing and sighing until he rests with his Beloved.”
Though a beautifully tender and poignant work, I would only recommend this to those who already have a basic understanding of sufism/tasawwuf and are familiar with sufi prose/poetry. It is not a book that delves into the history of sufism, so do not be misled by the title. There are certain poems/verses which may, at first glance, seem confusing or inappropriate (i.e. the common comparison of spiritual ecstasy to be being drunk, the use of the wine/bride metaphor), but this is due to the metaphorical/allegorical/symbolic nature of sufi writing; it is seldom intended literally, so bear this in mind if you do read this work (or indeed any work relating to tasawwuf). We often witness mistranslations of sufi works by orientalists who deliberately remove God from the picture and construe *practicing* Muslims as drunks or addicts… not only this but some quote lines from sufi poetry above love, aiming it towards their S.O.
It’s about God, not your ex, love.
“The Principles of Sufism provides for the woman reader seeking the voice of women in history an instructive example beyond its own intent pursuit of theological truths.”
Supplementing the voices/works of others with her own personal literary ruminations, A’ishah’s blended approach in exemplifying the lifestyle of the devotee is unique, particularly in the context of the century in which she lived and in comparison to her male/western female counterparts.
“There is much to celebrate in A’ishah’s unproblematic demonstration of learning.”
The core principles of Sufism, as expounded on in each chapter of this work, are repentance (tawbah), sincerity (ikhlas), remembrance (dhikr), love (muhabbah). Each principle is illustrated by Qur’anic ayat, ahadith, allegories and commentary – both her own and of other sufi masters.
I’m going to highlight some of my favourite excerpts:
On repentance:
“Repentance is the foundation for the pillars of happiness. The servant will enter the Sufis’ mystical stages only through the door of repentance, and he will attain his goal only by holding fast to repentance.”
Sound opinion relayed to me
a prophetic tradition, not prattle,
That you are merciful and kind,
sweeping in forgiveness.
Master, prove my thoughts are true
quenching my thirst with generosity,
And erase all that You have written down
of my sins.
For Your promise of redemption is confirmed by words
related from the Prophet who spoke true
That You are with the servant who thinks of You,
so the One is there to protect him!
On sincerity:
Abu l-Darda related that the Messenger (a.s) said: “This world is cursed, and all that is in it is cursed, except what has been done for the sake of God the Exalted.”
What I found particularly interesting in this chapter was the necessity for inward and outward sincerity to mirror and be in harmony with each other.
A’ishah composed in her work Diwan:
Be sincere, and with sincerity, be recorded as a believer
and leave hypocrisy, for that is polytheism
In the world, many snares appear for you
devised by wretched Satan who stalks his prey!
On remembrance:
“Be consumed in Our existence through your remembrance so that your remembrance will be realized.” – Al-Qushayri.
The mystical Illusion is “Love God” because, the Pophet, God bless and cherish him, said, “Someone who loves something, remembers it often.” Therefore, he loves to say “God”, and does not forget God after recollecting God. It is said that this means that you remember God in your hearts. The only remembrance that is possible to sustain permanently is the remembrance with the heart, for permanent remembrance with the tongue is impossible.” Al-Qushayri.
“Remembering people is a disease; remembering God is a cure.”
On love:
“One of the masters on love said, “Love is the hearts’ delight in finding the beloved,”
Rabi’ah said; “The lover of God will never quiet his longing and sighing until he rests with his Beloved.”
Though a beautifully tender and poignant work, I would only recommend this to those who already have a basic understanding of sufism/tasawwuf and are familiar with sufi prose/poetry. It is not a book that delves into the history of sufism, so do not be misled by the title. There are certain poems/verses which may, at first glance, seem confusing or inappropriate (i.e. the common comparison of spiritual ecstasy to be being drunk, the use of the wine/bride metaphor), but this is due to the metaphorical/allegorical/symbolic nature of sufi writing; it is seldom intended literally, so bear this in mind if you do read this work (or indeed any work relating to tasawwuf). We often witness mistranslations of sufi works by orientalists who deliberately remove God from the picture and construe *practicing* Muslims as drunks or addicts… not only this but some quote lines from sufi poetry above love, aiming it towards their S.O.
It’s about God, not your ex, love.
“The Principles of Sufism provides for the woman reader seeking the voice of women in history an instructive example beyond its own intent pursuit of theological truths.”
May 27, 2018
A beautiful book written by perhaps one of the best islamic female writers i have ever read about from the 16th century AD in Damascus. She was a sufic poet and writer but like some of the great writers her writings were not as well known at the time. I loved this book in so many ways, its deeply philosophical, poetic and the more and more I read the more it go me thinking. It reminds you again and again that you should be moral and good. Here are my best bits from the book.
- Person who does Bad deeds and then does good deeds is like a man wearing a tight coat of chainmail that is suffocating him. When he does something good and Lincoln loosens. Then he does another good deed and another link loosens and so on until he can step out free into the world.
•The repentance of the common people is forcing the repentance of the people of spiritual distinction is fajita listless and the repentance of the profits it’s from regarding the weakness of others who fail to attain what they did.
•Oh Adam you have bequeathed toil and trouble to your progeny but I have bequeathed repentance to him. Whoever among them price to me I will respond to him and whoever asks me for forgiveness I will not withhold it from him for I am there and I answer oh Adam I will gather the penitence from the graves on judgement day they will be happy and laughing and their prayers will be answered.
•When God the exalted wants to befriend one of his servants he opens the door of repentance for him with his grace and lead him into the ante-room of renunciation of all but him. Got races him up with the Ascension of vigilance against any except him until he ends up in the presence of contemplation when he sitting on the carpet of proximity with the generosity of attraction and manifests itself to him in beauty. When the seed of repentance falls on the grounds of The heart and the breezes of remorse below and the clouds of the eyelid poor with the rain of tears then that earth will tremble sprouts and grow verdant with delightful spaces of the flowers of Tiffany’s and the harvest of contemplation from the aromatic plants of union and the fruits of communion and so on from what is beyond description and expression.
•If you do not turn to God in repentance you will have no success. You must therefore validate your repentance with hard work. Repentance is the foundation for the pillars of happiness.
•The minimal requirement for truthfulness is that one secret thoughts and public actions match.
•Satan has placed his snouts on the heart of every person if one remembers God Satan withdraws if one forgets God Satan devours his heart.
•The end of remembrance is when the one remembering disappears in the remembrance from the remembrance and is Immersed in the one remembered without returning to the state of remembrance. The state is the annihilation of annihilation.
•Say there is no God but God but Al Shibli replied I will say God but I won’t offend him with the denial of him.
•Haroon ibn hayyan said “ I came to uways who asked “what bring u here? “ I came for ur company, I replied. Uways said, I Never understood how one can know God yet seek the company of other than him.
•Love is in adornment that does not appear on one whose ambition hangs on others
- Person who does Bad deeds and then does good deeds is like a man wearing a tight coat of chainmail that is suffocating him. When he does something good and Lincoln loosens. Then he does another good deed and another link loosens and so on until he can step out free into the world.
•The repentance of the common people is forcing the repentance of the people of spiritual distinction is fajita listless and the repentance of the profits it’s from regarding the weakness of others who fail to attain what they did.
•Oh Adam you have bequeathed toil and trouble to your progeny but I have bequeathed repentance to him. Whoever among them price to me I will respond to him and whoever asks me for forgiveness I will not withhold it from him for I am there and I answer oh Adam I will gather the penitence from the graves on judgement day they will be happy and laughing and their prayers will be answered.
•When God the exalted wants to befriend one of his servants he opens the door of repentance for him with his grace and lead him into the ante-room of renunciation of all but him. Got races him up with the Ascension of vigilance against any except him until he ends up in the presence of contemplation when he sitting on the carpet of proximity with the generosity of attraction and manifests itself to him in beauty. When the seed of repentance falls on the grounds of The heart and the breezes of remorse below and the clouds of the eyelid poor with the rain of tears then that earth will tremble sprouts and grow verdant with delightful spaces of the flowers of Tiffany’s and the harvest of contemplation from the aromatic plants of union and the fruits of communion and so on from what is beyond description and expression.
•If you do not turn to God in repentance you will have no success. You must therefore validate your repentance with hard work. Repentance is the foundation for the pillars of happiness.
•The minimal requirement for truthfulness is that one secret thoughts and public actions match.
•Satan has placed his snouts on the heart of every person if one remembers God Satan withdraws if one forgets God Satan devours his heart.
•The end of remembrance is when the one remembering disappears in the remembrance from the remembrance and is Immersed in the one remembered without returning to the state of remembrance. The state is the annihilation of annihilation.
•Say there is no God but God but Al Shibli replied I will say God but I won’t offend him with the denial of him.
•Haroon ibn hayyan said “ I came to uways who asked “what bring u here? “ I came for ur company, I replied. Uways said, I Never understood how one can know God yet seek the company of other than him.
•Love is in adornment that does not appear on one whose ambition hangs on others
March 1, 2022
Ā’ishah was a beautiful writer. I loved her thoughts on repentance, sincerity, remembrance, and love. She did a wonderful job connecting each principle and her writing was just lovely. She was clear in her wording, using her poetry to describe complex ideas and bringing in other Sufis, as well as the Prophet, may God bless and cherish him, to quote their words.
Definitely will reread several times so that I can try to grasp all of her words and to feel that wonderful peace I have felt the past few weeks of reading this in detail.
Definitely will reread several times so that I can try to grasp all of her words and to feel that wonderful peace I have felt the past few weeks of reading this in detail.
January 16, 2019
An okay edition of a useful text; really, two stars for the edition, which does almost nothing to put the book in context (i.e., why was it written, who read it, did anyone care after she died...), and five stars for the book itself, which is a very interesting and clever meditation on four themes, and makes it easy to understand how the paradoxes associated with sufism (and every other 'mystical' tradition) emerge naturally from thinking about religious matters.
March 24, 2021
This book like many other translations of the eastern writers fails to capture the essence of religious poetry that is at the heart of sufism (Jalal-ud-Din Mohammed Rumi's work being the worst interpretation till date).
Nonetheless, it can be used for academic and research purposes.
Nonetheless, it can be used for academic and research purposes.
January 13, 2019
Beautiful but it’s a bit heavy handed, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t practicing Sufism or doesn’t know much about it. I enjoyed the stories but they were difficult to remember.
January 21, 2025
Wonderful translation of a useful textbook, although the material itself contained within is fairly formulaic and bland in comparison with other more developed works from the earlier period.
May 24, 2025
the book is simple and is filled with reviews and examples but the book fails to touch the topics to a certain depth that has been done by some other stalwarts
February 23, 2023
An enlightening read. A wonderful work that references the Quran, Sunnah, sayings of al-Salaf as-Salih, and wisdoms of Sufi masters—including ‘Aishah al-Ba’uniyyah herself.
Through my basic knowledge, there weren’t any problematic elements that threatens one’s belief and creed. That said, I leave it to the students of knowledge whom are well-versed in the sciences of Quran and Ahadith to decide whether the references are sound and good; or weak and fabricated.
The ones I found seems familiar, for example: “God does not look at your bodies or your shapes. Rather He looks into your hearts.” [The Second Principles: Sincerity (Ikhlas); p. 26]. This hadith mentioned in the bookis recorded in Sahih Muslim (reference: 2564c).
This book is a solid 4.5/5 for me. I would give it a 5/5 if the Quran translations were in line with the current translations available i.e. Dr. Mustafa Khattab, M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Saheeh International, and many others.
Definitely would recommend.
Through my basic knowledge, there weren’t any problematic elements that threatens one’s belief and creed. That said, I leave it to the students of knowledge whom are well-versed in the sciences of Quran and Ahadith to decide whether the references are sound and good; or weak and fabricated.
The ones I found seems familiar, for example: “God does not look at your bodies or your shapes. Rather He looks into your hearts.” [The Second Principles: Sincerity (Ikhlas); p. 26]. This hadith mentioned in the bookis recorded in Sahih Muslim (reference: 2564c).
This book is a solid 4.5/5 for me. I would give it a 5/5 if the Quran translations were in line with the current translations available i.e. Dr. Mustafa Khattab, M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, Saheeh International, and many others.
Definitely would recommend.
May 23, 2023
আয়শা আল-বাউনিয়্যা ও তাঁর 'কিতাব আল-মুন্তাখাব'
আয়শা আল-বাউনিয়্যা (মৃ. ৯২৩ হি.) ছিলেন হিজরি ১০ম শতকের একজন বিদূষী মহিলা—আলিমা, যাহিদা, সুফি শাইখা, ফকিহা, কবি ও সাহিত্যিক। বিশেষত নবি মুহাম্মাদ সা. এর প্রশংসায় তাঁর লেখা কবিতাগুলোর জন্য তিনি পরিচিত। তাছাড়া সুলুক/তাসাউউফের উপর তাঁর অনেক বই আছে। তিনি ডজনখানেকের উপর বই লিখেছেন। মূলত বিশ শতকের আগে আরবি ভাষায় মহিলাদের মধ্যে কেউ তাঁর চেয়ে বেশি লিখেননি।
তাঁর বইগুলোর মধ্যে বিশেষ পরিচিত হলো 'আল-মুন্তাখাব ফি উসুলির রুতুব ফি ইলমিত তাসাউউফ' নামক সুলুক/তাসাউউফ বিষয়ক একটি গ্রন্থ। এই বইয়ে তিনি তাওবা, ইখলাস (নিষ্ঠা), যিকর (আল্লাহর স্মরণ) ও মাহাব্বাহ (ভালোবাসা)—সুলুকের এই চারটি বিষয়/মাকাম নিয়ে বিস্তারিত আলোচনা করেছেন। তাঁর মতে এই চারটি মাকাম সুলুক নামক বৃক্ষের মূল। প্রতিটি মাকামের ক্ষেত্রে তিনি সবার আগে কুরআনের প্রাসঙ্গিক আয়াত ও রাসুলুল্লাহর হাদিসগুলো উল্লেখ করেছেন। এরপর উল্লেখ করেছেন বিখ্যাত বিভিন্ন মনীষী-শাইখের সারগভীর বাণী। শেষে জুড়ে দিয়েছেন অনেক কবিতা।
বইটির ইংরেজি অনুবাদ 'The Principles of Sufism'. অনুবাদ করেছেন Th. Emil Homerin. এছাড়া তিনি আয়শা আল-বাউনিয়্যার একটি চমৎকার জীবনীও রচনা করেছেন, 'Aisha al-Ba'uniyya: A Life in Praise of Love' নামে যা প্রকাশিত হয়েছে।
আয়শা আল-বাউনিয়্যা (মৃ. ৯২৩ হি.) ছিলেন হিজরি ১০ম শতকের একজন বিদূষী মহিলা—আলিমা, যাহিদা, সুফি শাইখা, ফকিহা, কবি ও সাহিত্যিক। বিশেষত নবি মুহাম্মাদ সা. এর প্রশংসায় তাঁর লেখা কবিতাগুলোর জন্য তিনি পরিচিত। তাছাড়া সুলুক/তাসাউউফের উপর তাঁর অনেক বই আছে। তিনি ডজনখানেকের উপর বই লিখেছেন। মূলত বিশ শতকের আগে আরবি ভাষায় মহিলাদের মধ্যে কেউ তাঁর চেয়ে বেশি লিখেননি।
তাঁর বইগুলোর মধ্যে বিশেষ পরিচিত হলো 'আল-মুন্তাখাব ফি উসুলির রুতুব ফি ইলমিত তাসাউউফ' নামক সুলুক/তাসাউউফ বিষয়ক একটি গ্রন্থ। এই বইয়ে তিনি তাওবা, ইখলাস (নিষ্ঠা), যিকর (আল্লাহর স্মরণ) ও মাহাব্বাহ (ভালোবাসা)—সুলুকের এই চারটি বিষয়/মাকাম নিয়ে বিস্তারিত আলোচনা করেছেন। তাঁর মতে এই চারটি মাকাম সুলুক নামক বৃক্ষের মূল। প্রতিটি মাকামের ক্ষেত্রে তিনি সবার আগে কুরআনের প্রাসঙ্গিক আয়াত ও রাসুলুল্লাহর হাদিসগুলো উল্লেখ করেছেন। এরপর উল্লেখ করেছেন বিখ্যাত বিভিন্ন মনীষী-শাইখের সারগভীর বাণী। শেষে জুড়ে দিয়েছেন অনেক কবিতা।
বইটির ইংরেজি অনুবাদ 'The Principles of Sufism'. অনুবাদ করেছেন Th. Emil Homerin. এছাড়া তিনি আয়শা আল-বাউনিয়্যার একটি চমৎকার জীবনীও রচনা করেছেন, 'Aisha al-Ba'uniyya: A Life in Praise of Love' নামে যা প্রকাশিত হয়েছে।
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April 8, 2016297.41 B349 2016
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