The Pearl of Sufism offers a rich insight into the central themes and principles of Sufism which is the spiritual path of unity, love, tolerance that is centred on the heart. This book describes the function and the role of the heart for the Sufis in a literal and practical manner. For the Sufis, the heart is dwelling place of the soul, which a Sufi seeker connects to through the use of mystical rhythms. Sufism, is a spiritual path which originated during the beginning of the history of humanity. It is a living stream passing from one master to another and is connected to great prophets such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad. This book through exploring the fascinating perspective of the ongoing line of mysticism and the teachings of Jesus offers convincing evidence which can lead to a new understanding of the roots of religion. The teachings of the book are seasoned with wisdom and compassion, and are filled with original Sufi stories, and aphorisms that one can return to again and again.

The Sufis is the best introduction ever written to the philosophical and mystical school traditionally associated with the Islamic world.Powerful, concise, and intensely thought-provoking, it sums up over a thousand years of Eastern thought - the product of some of the greatest minds humanity has ever produced - into a single work, presenting timeless ideas in a fresh and contemporary style.When the book was originally published in 1964, it launched its author, Idries Shah, on to the international stage, attracting the attention of thinkers and writers such as J. D. Salinger, Doris Lessing, Ted Hughes and Robert Graves.It introduced to the Western world concepts which have subsequently become commonly accepted, varying from the psychological importance of attention and humour, to the use of traditional tales as teaching instruments (what Shah termed 'teaching-stories'), and the historical debt owed by the West to the Middle East in matters scientific, literary and philosophical.As a primer for the many dozens of Sufi books that Shah later produced, it is unsurpassed, offering a clear window onto a community whose system of thought and action has long concerned itself with the advancement of the whole of humankind, and whose ideas about individuals and society, their purpose and direction, need to be understood now more than ever before.

**Sufi Tales: The Paths of Spiritual Wisdom** is a captivating collection of mystical stories that delve into the depths of Sufi spirituality. Each tale, rooted in the traditions and teachings of Sufi masters, guides the reader through the mysteries of the soul and the relationship with the divine. 1. **Divine Love (Ishq-e-Haqiqi)**: Immerse yourself in the story of unconditional love and devotion to God, revealing how this love transcends human limitations and illuminates the soul. 2. **The Quest for Truth (Haqiqat)**: Follow the spiritual journey of those seeking ultimate truth, discovering the challenges and rewards of this sacred quest. 3. **Unity with the Divine (Tawhid)**: Discover the mystical experience of unity with God, a union that transcends the self and reveals the true essence of existence. 4. **Self-Extinction (Fana)**: Learn through the story of the dissolution of the ego and the surrender of oneself to God, a process of deep purification and transformation. 5. **Subsistence by God (Baqa)**: Explore the spiritual rebirth after the extinction of the self, a stage of subsistence through divine grace. 6. **Trust in God (Tawakkul)**: Be inspired by the faith and total trust in divine will, illustrated through stories of spiritual challenges and victories. 7. **Patience (Sabr)**: Discover the virtue of patience in the face of trials and challenges, and how this quality forges a resilient and devoted heart. 8. **Gratitude (Shukr)**: Read stories about expressing gratitude for divine blessings, revealing the power of thankfulness on the spiritual path. 9. **Remembrance of God (Dhikr)**: Dive into the practice of meditation and constant remembrance of God, a method to nourish and elevate the soul. 10. **Humility (Tawadu)**: Learn lessons of modesty and humility in the presence of divine greatness, an essential quality for a pure and sincere heart. **Sufi Tales: The Paths of Spiritual Wisdom** is more than just a collection of stories. It is a journey through the profound mysteries and teachings of Sufism. Each tale is a guide, a light on the path to spiritual understanding and divine connection. This book is for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of spirituality and discover the teachings of Sufism. Whether you are a student of mysticism, a spiritual practitioner, or simply a lover of tales and ancient wisdom, this book offers treasures of knowledge and inspiration. **Sufi Tales: The Paths of Spiritual Wisdom** is an invitation to explore the depths of the soul and embrace the eternal teachings of the Sufi masters. Through these stories, let yourself be guided toward a life of devotion, inner peace, and divine realization. Immerse yourself in this mystical universe and let the tales of Sufi wisdom transform your perception of life and nourish your spiritual quest.

The most broadly accepted explanation of Sufism is the etymological derivation of the term from the Arabic for “wool,” ṣūf, associating practitioners with a preference for poor, rough clothing. This explanation clearly identifies Sufism with ascetical practice and the importance of manifesting spiritual poverty through material poverty. In fact, some of the earliest “Western” descriptions of individuals now widely associated with the larger phenomenon of Sufism identified them with the Arabic term faqīr, mendicant, or its most common Persian equivalent, darwīsh. Sufism, as presented here embraces a host of features including the ritual, institutional, psychological, hermeneutical, artistic, literary, ethical, and epistemological. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Sufism contains a chronology, an introduction, a glossary, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1,000 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, major historical figures and movements, practices, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Sufism.

There is a remarkable phrase in the Bible, here it says, 'Eat My flesh and drink My blood', says Christ. What does He mean by saying this? He means in the first place that what a living being loves most is his food, what he loves most he eats. It has been proved in ferocious and dreadful famines, by people eating their own children, that food is dearer than their own child. The word of Christ, therefore, 'Find out, what it is in Me that you love, which may become your nourishment, which may become your food. It is not this, My flesh and blood; this will not be sufficient to satisfy your appetite. There is another part of My being, which is in abundance and can nourish My numberless devotees. Therefore before trying to eat My flesh and blood, try to find out on what plane I really exist and what is My true being'. The lives of all the great saints show that not only their adversaries and opponents but also their near and dear friends have proved to be among their worst enemies. There is a creature which loves its mate so much that it eats it. Now as to the question: what it is that Christ speaks of as his flesh and blood. His flesh is the knowledge of God and His blood is the love of God; because it is love that has a tendency, so to speak, to excite the circulation, and it is knowledge which has the tendency to strengthen, making man firm of which flesh is the symbol. One thing without the other would be abnormal. For instance flesh without blood, or blood without flesh, both are not normal conditions. What gives normal health to the body and to the soul is flesh and blood both. In the religious custom of the sacrament of bread and wine it is this secret which is symbolically expressed.

Jesus is seen as a representative of an ancient and continuing wisdom tradition identified with that of the Sufis. By his distinctive use of stories for teaching purposes, his sayings, and what the Sufis call 'action-teachings', including those actions known as 'miracles', Jesus is shown to have been quintessentially a Sufi master. Max Gorman shows how Sufism illuminates from within concepts central to Christianity: the kingdom of Heaven, son of God, baptism, resurrection - which can then be seen as states and stages in an evolutionary philosophy.This new edition of the classic work includes a new chapter on Gnosis.

This book looks at the study of ideas, practices and institutions in South Asian Islam, commonly identified as ‘Sufism’, and how they relate to politics in South Asia. While the importance of Sufism for the lives of South Asian Muslims has been repeatedly asserted, the specific role played by Sufism in contestations over social and political belonging in South Asia has not yet been fully analysed. Looking at examples from five countries in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan), the book begins with a detailed introduction to political concerns over ‘belonging’ in relation to questions concerning Sufism and Islam in South Asia. This is followed with sections on Producing and Identifying Sufism; Everyday and Public Forms of Belonging; Sufi Belonging, Local and National; and Intellectual History and Narratives of Belonging. Bringing together scholars from diverse disciplines, the book explores the connection of Islam, Sufism and the Politics of Belonging in South Asia. It is an important contribution to South Asian Studies, Islamic Studies and South Asian Religion.

Many Sufi books are written by academics from a technical standpoint; this one however is different. It is written by a mystic who has been inspired since a boy by his love of poetry which has made his life a search for beauty; this dearch culminating in his long study of Sufi Mysticism considered by him to be the acme of all mystic poetry. This book has in it many inspiring passages both poetry and prose. Short biographies are included with examples of the work of the main Sufi Mystics as well as brief commentaries for the reader who will also gain on overall knowledge of Sufi Literature.

Liu Zhi (c1662-c1730), a well-known Muslim scholar writing in Chinese, published outstanding theological works, short treatises, and short poems on Islam. While traditional Arabic and Persian Islamic texts used unfamiliar concepts to explain Islam, Liu Zhi translated both text and concepts into Chinese culture. In this erudite volume, David Lee examines how Liu Zhi integrated the basic religious living of the monotheistic Hui Muslims into their pluralistic Chinese culture. Liu Zhi discussed the Prophet Muhammad in Confucian terms, and his work served as a bridge between peoples. This book is an in-depth study of Liu Zhi's contextualization of Islam within Chinese scholarship that argues his merging of the two never deviated from the basic principles of Islamic belief.

The first volume in a three-volume set, this is a study of the rise of Persian Sufi spirituality and literature in Islam during the first six Muslim centuries. This collection of 24 essays covers the key achievements of the Muslim intellectual and cultural tradition in history, mysticism, philosophy and poetry. It demonstrates the positive role played by Sufi thinkers during this period. The subjects covered include: Sufi masters and schools; literature and poetry; spiritual chivalry; divine love; Persian Sufi literature - Rumi and 'Attar.