For centuries there has been fascination, within and beyond the Islamic world, with the mystical teachings of Sufism, and with the role of the Islamic 'saints' whose life and work were important to Islamic theology. Margaret Smith's classic work, Rabi'a the Mystic, describes the teaching, life and times of one of the great women of the Islamic tradition, Rabi'a of Basra. This study has never been bettered. It is now reissued unchanged, but with a new introduction by Professor Annemarie Schimmel. This emphasises the importance of the book - and of Rabi'a herself - and questions of major importance today: the nature of mystical belief and experience, the Sufi tradition, and the role of women in the Islamic world.

Well-considered answers to the many questions raised by the situation in Iraq, past and present, are rare. This first comprehensive bibliography on Iraq is based on the Index Islamicus, the leading bibliography on the Muslim world, and will help its readers to find their way through the extensive secondary literature.

These readings cover various aspects of women's experience in the Middle East, including legal, domestic, political, religious and cultural factors. Introductions explain the background of each source and discuss the questions raised.