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Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition
This stunning collection showcases the love poetry and mystical teachings at the heart of the Islamic tradition in accurate and poetic original translations
At a time when the association of Islam with violence dominates headlines, this beautiful collection offers us a chance to see a radically different face of the Islamic tradition. It traces a soaring, poetic, popular tradition that celebrates love for both humanity and the Divine as the ultimate path leading humanity back to God.
Safi brings together for the first time the passages of the Qur’an sought by the Muslim sages, the mystical sayings of the Prophet, and the teachings of the path of “Divine love.” Accurately and sensitively translated by leading scholar of Islam Omid Safi, the writings of Jalal al‑Din Rumi can now be read alongside passages by Kharaqani, ‘Attar, Hafez of Shiraz, Abu Sa‘id‑e Abi ’l‑Khayr, and other key Muslim mystics. For the millions of readers whose lives have been touched by Rumi’s poetry, here is a chance to see the Arabic and Persian traditions that produced him.
At a time when the association of Islam with violence dominates headlines, this beautiful collection offers us a chance to see a radically different face of the Islamic tradition. It traces a soaring, poetic, popular tradition that celebrates love for both humanity and the Divine as the ultimate path leading humanity back to God.
Safi brings together for the first time the passages of the Qur’an sought by the Muslim sages, the mystical sayings of the Prophet, and the teachings of the path of “Divine love.” Accurately and sensitively translated by leading scholar of Islam Omid Safi, the writings of Jalal al‑Din Rumi can now be read alongside passages by Kharaqani, ‘Attar, Hafez of Shiraz, Abu Sa‘id‑e Abi ’l‑Khayr, and other key Muslim mystics. For the millions of readers whose lives have been touched by Rumi’s poetry, here is a chance to see the Arabic and Persian traditions that produced him.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published May 22, 2018
45 people are currently reading
1313 people want to read
About the author
Omid Safi
19 books107 followersOmid Safi is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he specializes on Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought, and medieval Islamic history. He received his PhD from Duke University in 2000. Before coming to UNC, he was an Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.
Safi is the Chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. His book The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam, dealing with medieval Islamic history and politics, was published in 2006. His translation and analysis of Rumi’s biography is forthcoming from Fons Vitae, and his book Memories of Muhammad will be published in Winter of 2009 by HarperOne.
Safi has been at the forefront of the progressive Muslim debate. His book Progressive Muslims, published in 2003, contains a diverse collection of essays by and about “progressive” Muslims. He was one of the cofounders of the Progressive Muslim Union (PMU-NA). Safi resigned from PMU in 2005, but he continues to support progressive interpretations of Islam outside of PMU.
Safi is the Chair for the Study of Islam at the American Academy of Religion. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. His book The Politics of Knowledge in Premodern Islam, dealing with medieval Islamic history and politics, was published in 2006. His translation and analysis of Rumi’s biography is forthcoming from Fons Vitae, and his book Memories of Muhammad will be published in Winter of 2009 by HarperOne.
Safi has been at the forefront of the progressive Muslim debate. His book Progressive Muslims, published in 2003, contains a diverse collection of essays by and about “progressive” Muslims. He was one of the cofounders of the Progressive Muslim Union (PMU-NA). Safi resigned from PMU in 2005, but he continues to support progressive interpretations of Islam outside of PMU.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 5, 2019
Anyone and everyone on a Spiritual Journey most specifically Muslim and Sufis but as I first stated "Anyone" should read this gem of a book.
One finds out what really "Love" means, how to embrace God while still alive and how to talk to Him/Her (it is called prayer!).
Great for inspiration and topics of meditation.
This is the kind of Blessed Book you want to keep on your bedside table and read a few pages every night and morning. Upon reading the morning page get on your meditation cushion and mediate on it.
I am going to share with you a personal practice I do with this inspirational book: open it at random in the morning, meditate on it, it is uncanny how it usually perfectly matches the day you are about to receive and meditating makes it ten times more Blessed.
One finds out what really "Love" means, how to embrace God while still alive and how to talk to Him/Her (it is called prayer!).
Great for inspiration and topics of meditation.
This is the kind of Blessed Book you want to keep on your bedside table and read a few pages every night and morning. Upon reading the morning page get on your meditation cushion and mediate on it.
I am going to share with you a personal practice I do with this inspirational book: open it at random in the morning, meditate on it, it is uncanny how it usually perfectly matches the day you are about to receive and meditating makes it ten times more Blessed.
December 3, 2022
if i was only going to read one 'nonfiction' book this year, i’m glad it was this one — a thoughtful and moving collection of translations of islamic mysticism.
what is ultimately a beautiful, sentimental exploration of divine love and the many forms it can take, radical love is a concise, curated collection of sufi poetry designed to make you feel — my most favorite thing.
pick this up if you have an interest in islamic studies, if you have an interest in poetry, or even if you just have an interest in love. prepare to think critically about your relationship with the divine (in whatever form that takes for you — spirituality, connection with others, the universe, etc) and soak in the descriptions of the radiant, soul-nourishing kind of love you can really only find in old, translated verse.
in the prologue, omar safid cites an (alleged) rumi quote:
and that is exactly the kind of feeling this book leaves you with.
what is ultimately a beautiful, sentimental exploration of divine love and the many forms it can take, radical love is a concise, curated collection of sufi poetry designed to make you feel — my most favorite thing.
pick this up if you have an interest in islamic studies, if you have an interest in poetry, or even if you just have an interest in love. prepare to think critically about your relationship with the divine (in whatever form that takes for you — spirituality, connection with others, the universe, etc) and soak in the descriptions of the radiant, soul-nourishing kind of love you can really only find in old, translated verse.
in the prologue, omar safid cites an (alleged) rumi quote:
the whole of my life
summed up in three phrases:
i was raw
then
i was burnt
now,
i am on fire.
and that is exactly the kind of feeling this book leaves you with.
July 4, 2020
This is a difficult book to review. A pen ought to break before it reviews Rumi or any of the other masters translated here. I will say that knowing that Omid Safi went back and re-translated the original sources is not only commendable but also necessary. There has been a lot of discussion recently about how Western translators stripped Islam out of Sufi poetry, so this is an act of restoration.
The introduction is also illuminating and highly recommended!
The introduction is also illuminating and highly recommended!
September 26, 2020
I heard about this on an episode of Vox's Future Perfect and wanted to read it. The sense of community and shared purpose of humanity that I got from it was something I desperately needed in a world that is not really demonstrating those things. Very glad I trusted my instincts to request it from the library.
December 9, 2025
while interesting and all i’ve been reading as of late, western mysticism is sometimes accompanied by a sense of suffering and loneliness that i find to be upsetting and it was nice to return to reading something that cherishes love. to be born into a faith that celebrates joy and love for humanity as a worship of God is very fortuitous: “to be on the path of radical love is to find God in the very midst of humanity.” some other really beautiful hadiths and poems that are bringing me solace and reminding me what grounds me. the joy of living and loving and giving our souls to one another is an act of devotion in and of itself. why idolize suffering if the divine is all around us? “God is manifest among fellow humans as the moon shines among stars.” :)
February 4, 2021
Beautiful translations, well-organized, and pairs well with Omid Safi's podcast "Sufi Heart."
December 30, 2021
[I Want Not to Want]
A long-suffering soul was asked:
“What does your heart want?”
He said:
“That my heart not desire anything”
Sa‘di
A collection of translated poems which penetrate deep into the Sufi perspectives on love and the ultimate truth that there is only one “true” love: the divine love, Eshq-e Haqiqi.
A long-suffering soul was asked:
“What does your heart want?”
He said:
“That my heart not desire anything”
Sa‘di
A collection of translated poems which penetrate deep into the Sufi perspectives on love and the ultimate truth that there is only one “true” love: the divine love, Eshq-e Haqiqi.
July 29, 2018
Beautiful, enriching, and — best of all — *readable*: Safi has grant English-speakers a magnificent boon by taking swaths of Sufi poetry and putting it in our common vernacular. Moreover, he introduces the subject and sets the stage in such a way that allows access to nearly anyone. This is a treasure.
January 26, 2021
A masterfully beautiful collection of the brightest Sufi poets. Highly recommend reading this.
July 17, 2023
You will love this book if you believe that God is Love and that this Love is for EVERYONE, if you seek solace and inspiration, if you know that this material world can never satisfy by you are searching for peace and satisfaction.
I felt elevated in a state of bliss for hours after each reading. I will continue to turn to this book, especially during dark times.
I felt elevated in a state of bliss for hours after each reading. I will continue to turn to this book, especially during dark times.
September 5, 2023
genuinely life changing, this will be forever on my bookshelf
August 21, 2022
I think the Radical Love book is strangely the ultimate mental health book. I had a pretty interesting experience while reading it that I would equate to a psychedelic experience. Obviously no hallucinations, but I could actually feel love pressing on me like it fills the empty spaces of my room.
Something clicked in my brain. I don’t know if I can explain it. For your benefit of reading, I will make an attempt to reproduce the emotion:
God is love. And loving yourself is like seeing through God's eyes. One sees through love. Love sees through love. There’s a symmetry to it. Almost like embracing a paradox. It is a repeating pattern or a fractal with infinite potential. Like love is love is love is love is love. And there’s something about the nature of God (love, forgiveness) being infinite and overflowing and no matter how much love you give away there’s always more. You you feel serene, like you can pick the toddler version of yourself up and hug yourself in a time loop in the vast infinity of time.
It is the absence of fear. Everything will be okay. That life is something in your reach that you just have to reach out and grab it—reach out and love it. Acting without hesitation. Loving without hesitation. When there is a crying baby, you do not think, you do not blame, you do not argue. You pick it up and you love. Tears coming from your eyes, you love.
There is no zero-sum game or score keeping. Love is infinite. Forgiveness is infinite. There is nothing you can do wrong because love is infinity and any amount of love you take from infinity is still infinity. You can stand under the waterfall of love and the love knocks you down and never stops. Love never stops. It fills every empty space.
This is my firsthand account. Somewhere amongst my description is emotional state that is I think is at the center of all spiritual experiences. It’s an emotion. It is not meant to be logical. But nevertheless you can experience it. I cannot guarantee that Radical Love will give you this experience also. But it is a very good sign post, pointing you in the right direction. Take it slow.
Something clicked in my brain. I don’t know if I can explain it. For your benefit of reading, I will make an attempt to reproduce the emotion:
God is love. And loving yourself is like seeing through God's eyes. One sees through love. Love sees through love. There’s a symmetry to it. Almost like embracing a paradox. It is a repeating pattern or a fractal with infinite potential. Like love is love is love is love is love. And there’s something about the nature of God (love, forgiveness) being infinite and overflowing and no matter how much love you give away there’s always more. You you feel serene, like you can pick the toddler version of yourself up and hug yourself in a time loop in the vast infinity of time.
It is the absence of fear. Everything will be okay. That life is something in your reach that you just have to reach out and grab it—reach out and love it. Acting without hesitation. Loving without hesitation. When there is a crying baby, you do not think, you do not blame, you do not argue. You pick it up and you love. Tears coming from your eyes, you love.
There is no zero-sum game or score keeping. Love is infinite. Forgiveness is infinite. There is nothing you can do wrong because love is infinity and any amount of love you take from infinity is still infinity. You can stand under the waterfall of love and the love knocks you down and never stops. Love never stops. It fills every empty space.
This is my firsthand account. Somewhere amongst my description is emotional state that is I think is at the center of all spiritual experiences. It’s an emotion. It is not meant to be logical. But nevertheless you can experience it. I cannot guarantee that Radical Love will give you this experience also. But it is a very good sign post, pointing you in the right direction. Take it slow.
January 26, 2019
A fine collection of poetry from the Islamic tradition, including such authors as Rumi (of course!), the Qur'an, Hadith, Qudsi, Zol Nun, Hafez, and others. Much of the poetry and excerpts derive from the Sufi mystical tradition. As with any form of poetry, one must read, reflect, then re-read and reflect again.
As there is truth, beauty, and goodness in all religious paths, exposure to Islamic insights is an essential component of one's inter-religious reading. I am reading this now for the second time and tagging those passages which speak to me in a distinct way. I am sure that a third reading might cause me to add some tags and remove others.
While I often leave reading book introductions, prefaces, etc. to the end of my reading (I wish to form my own perspective first), in this case I would recommend reading the introduction first so as to understand the rationale and techniques used by the translator. Translating literary works is challenging, all the more so with poetry. In general, I found the text insightful and inspiring, although I disliked the occasional use of slang (e.g., "wanna") for such classical spiritual writings.
This volume will be added to my special collection of spiritual writings.
As there is truth, beauty, and goodness in all religious paths, exposure to Islamic insights is an essential component of one's inter-religious reading. I am reading this now for the second time and tagging those passages which speak to me in a distinct way. I am sure that a third reading might cause me to add some tags and remove others.
While I often leave reading book introductions, prefaces, etc. to the end of my reading (I wish to form my own perspective first), in this case I would recommend reading the introduction first so as to understand the rationale and techniques used by the translator. Translating literary works is challenging, all the more so with poetry. In general, I found the text insightful and inspiring, although I disliked the occasional use of slang (e.g., "wanna") for such classical spiritual writings.
This volume will be added to my special collection of spiritual writings.
January 7, 2021
Radical Love is a wonderful book about the Sufi Way and the deeper, cosmic meaning of love. True love reveals the sacred oneness of heaven and earth, male and female, the human and the divine. All expressions of love are one in the realization of Divine Oneness. Love flows from God through humanity and back to God. Omid Safi writes:
"In reading mystical love poetry of this tradition, it is hard to determine whether a particular poem is meant for a tender young beloved, for the writer's husband or wife, for a spiritual teacher, for the Prophet Muhammad, or for God. The truth of the matter is that it is typically written for all of them, and all at once."
Another important insight from the book: the garden (paradise) is not a physical destination but a spiritual state that we can discover here and now. Paradise is a living reality in the hearts of God's loving devotees. The more we open, awaken and share the divine light within our hearts, the more paradisiacal our life becomes. Our life on earth can be a mirror of heaven. The secret of paradise is hidden in the sharing of our hearts.
"In reading mystical love poetry of this tradition, it is hard to determine whether a particular poem is meant for a tender young beloved, for the writer's husband or wife, for a spiritual teacher, for the Prophet Muhammad, or for God. The truth of the matter is that it is typically written for all of them, and all at once."
Another important insight from the book: the garden (paradise) is not a physical destination but a spiritual state that we can discover here and now. Paradise is a living reality in the hearts of God's loving devotees. The more we open, awaken and share the divine light within our hearts, the more paradisiacal our life becomes. Our life on earth can be a mirror of heaven. The secret of paradise is hidden in the sharing of our hearts.
January 21, 2022
This is a smorgasbord of delights from the Sufi mystics. Hafiz, Attar, Harzrat Inayat Khan, etc. All are contextualized within the Islamic tradition. America has sanitized the Islam from many of these ancient sages in order to make it palatable. By attributing many invented sayings and poems to Rumi for mass marketing and mass consumption they have lost their fragrance, spice and authenticity. This book tries to marry translated poetry from original source material back to its Islamic roots. It seeks to raise our consciousness about love from popular romantic notions to the most powerful force in the universe.
It points to an alchemical transformation which can occur for every individual with an open heart.
It points to an alchemical transformation which can occur for every individual with an open heart.
October 31, 2019
This book is a beautiful compilation of poetic wisdom from the Islamic tradition. Safi offers readers passages from the Qur’an, sayings from the Prophet Muhammad, the poetry of Rumi, Hafez, and lesser-known figures like Kharaqani. All of these, Safi shows, are indelibly shaped by the Islamic tradition, and their significance cannot be fully appreciated without recognizing their grounding in Islam. At the same time, he demonstrates that these Islamic texts have much wisdom to offer to all seekers of truth and beauty, who seek to embody God’s “radical love” in their lives.
May 12, 2024
Life changing. It was so beautiful speaking back and forth with the author of the book on email getting life advice and sharing my experiences with mysticism. I learnt some tough lessons. About who I am, what I should spend my time doing, where I am most happy and who I should be surrounding myself with.
This book is beautiful- it’s a collection of poems that explain the path of love. It makes the path so easy to understand. Also, one can’t help but be impressed with Rumi. Even though so many poets and saints are quoted, something about Rumi’s lines stand out.
This book is beautiful- it’s a collection of poems that explain the path of love. It makes the path so easy to understand. Also, one can’t help but be impressed with Rumi. Even though so many poets and saints are quoted, something about Rumi’s lines stand out.
June 14, 2018
A big thanks to Omid Safi for crafting this beautiful book! RADICAL LOVE is a rare find: full of simultaneously authentic AND gorgeous translations of Sufi poetry while still managing to retain the Islamic context that is so chronically lost in translation. With this book, Safi gives us all an extraordinary gift, and I for one and truly grateful for it. I highly recommend you pick up a copy ASAP!
April 30, 2021
What an outstanding selection of Sufi poems! The introduction by Omid Safi is excellent. I was struck by how so many of these writings echo some of the sayings of Jesus as well as the teachings of some of the Christian mystics, especially Meister Eckhart. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
June 28, 2021
Reading Sufi or Islamic poetry is a little like reading Shakespeare, in that I need to get my eye and reading ear into the right rhythm. Omid Safi has collected a beautiful selection of love poems and I'm grateful of his skill in selecting them. This book, while short, is a powerful reminder for us to reflect on the only thing truly important in this life, love.
March 14, 2023
I am not the biggest fan of poetry in general, but this collection was the tiniest bit enjoyable (hence the two stars). I liked seeing ahadiths and Ayahs from the Quran translated into English, it really gave me a fresh perspective on material I’d already covered before. I did also enjoy seeing some of Rumi and Attar’s works though they are too Sufi for my liking.
October 29, 2024
Refreshing and delightful to read. I kept it by my bedside and read each evening this past week. It brought me back to my camp days, the pureness of God’s love in the simplest of words can mean the very most! Ugh such wonderful read! I have to return this copy to the library but I will be finding my own copy!
February 6, 2021
Beautiful collection of Islamic poetry. Reading every page brought me a blend of revitalization, reflection, and peacefulness. I only wish there was more informative prose on radical love in Islam/Sufism, like the introduction, but understand that wasn’t the purpose of the book.
November 13, 2023
This comprehensive and thoughtful compilation introduced me to folks beyond the accessible Rumi; Hadith, 'Attar, and 'Iraqi were among my favorites.
A small sample:
Only God
has the right
to say "I"
Abu Bakr Kharraz
A small sample:
Only God
has the right
to say "I"
Abu Bakr Kharraz
October 21, 2025
A wonderful collection of poetry about love. Much of it is thought-provoking, and much of it goes straight to the heart.
No matter what religion or form of God you feel connected to or drawn to, this is worth reading for everyone.
No matter what religion or form of God you feel connected to or drawn to, this is worth reading for everyone.
May 25, 2018
Beautiful poetry selections translated from the original Persian and Arabic.
February 4, 2020
I loved this book, but mostly because I had the pleasure of hearing Omid speak about the storied int he book many times at a weekend retreat
May 15, 2020
It took some time cause I wanted to understand the lines in depth of poetry actual I was lazy to finish it but it is beautiful
July 8, 2020
Just so beautiful... yearning... equanimity... Of course.
October 3, 2020
Omid Safi is a beautiful writer. He has translated the writings of many writers like Rumi who are in the Radical Love tradition.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews