Islamic groups: Sufis Books

Book SynopsisOne of the more poorly understood aspects of the history of the Ottoman Empire has been the flourishing of Sufi mysticism under its auspices. This study tracks the evolution of the Halveti order from its modest origins in medieval Azerbaijan to the emergence of its influential Sa`baniye branch, whose range extended throughout the Empire at the height of its expansion.With careful reconstruction of the lives of formerly obscure figures in the order''s history, a complex picture emerges of the connections of Halveti groups with the Ottoman state and society. Even more importantly - since the Sa`baniye branch of the order grew out of the towns and villages of the northern Anatolian mountains rather than the major urban centers - this work has the added benefit of bringing a unique perspective to how Ottoman subjects lived, worked and worshipped outside the major urban centers of the Empire. Along the way, it sheds light on less-visible actors in society, such as women and artisans, and challenges widely held generalizations about the activities and strategies of Ottoman mystics.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Note on Transliteration; List of Abbreviations for Frequently-Cited Works in the Text; Introduction-On the Study of Ottoman Mystical Traditions; Part I The Rise and Spread of the Halveti Order from its Origins through the Twelfth/Eighteenth Century: Chapter 1 Early Sufism and the origins of the Halveti path (ca. 900-1400); Chapter 2 The Great Expansion: From Regional Organization to Far-Flung Network (ca. 1400-1600); Part II The Evolution of a Halveti Sub-Branch: The Life and Career of ?a'ban-? Veli and his Followers in the Kastamonu Region; Chapter 3 Echoes of a distant past: ?a'ban-? Veli's early life and conversion to Sufism; Chapter 4 Genesis of a sub-branch: ?a'ban-? Veli's struggles in Kastamonu; Chapter 5 An uneven legacy: the succession to ?a'ban-? Veli to the end of the tenth/sixteenth century; Part III Defending the Cult of Saints in Eleventh/Seventeenth-Century Kastamonu: Transforming the ?a'baniyye Order under 'Omer el-Fu'adi: Chapter 6 'Omer el-Fu'adi as Sufi aspirant and haigographer: the road to ?a'baniyye succession; Chapter 7 Inscribing the ?a'baniyye order onto Kastamonu's landscape; Chapter 8 The political and doctrinal legacy of 'Omer el-Fu'adi; Conclusion What can the ?a'baniyye Teach Us About Transitions in the Early Modern Period of World History?; Endnotes; Bibliography; Primary Sources: Original Manuscripts; Primary Sources in Printed Texts, Translation, or Edited Editions of Manuscripts; Secondary Sources

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlthough Sufi characters - saints, dervishes, wanderers - occur regularly in modern Arabic literature, a select group of novelists seeks to interrogate Sufism as a system of thought and language. In the work of writers like Naguib Mahfouz, Gamal Al-Ghitany, Tahar Ouettar, Ibrahim Al-Koni, Mahmud Al-Mas''adi and Tayeb Salih we see a strong intertextual relationship with the Sufi masters of the past, including Al-Hallaj, Ibn Arabi, Al-Niffari and Al-Suhrawardi. This relationship becomes a means of interrogating the limits of the creative self, individuality, rationality and the manifold possibilities offered by literature, seeking in a dialogue with the mystical heritage a way of preserving a self under siege from the overwhelming forces of oppression and reaction that have characterized the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.Table of ContentsAbbreviations; Acknowledgements; Introduction: Ouverture; Chapter One: Naguib Mahfouz: (En)chanting Justice; Chapter Two: Tayeb Salih: The Returns of the Saint; Chapter Three: Al-Mas'adi: Witnessing Immortality; Chapter Four: The Survival of Gamal Al-Ghitany; Chapter Five: Ibrahim Al-Koni: Writing and Sacrifice; Chapter Six: Tahar Ouettar: The Saint and the Nightmare of History; Epilogue: Bahaa Taher, Solidarity and Idealism; Bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis imaginative and accessible study of the lyrical, humorous, social and educational aspects of classical Persian poetry focuses on the works of the master medieval poet Sa''di of Shiraz (d. 1291), one of the funniest, most influential and lyrical figures in classical Persian poetry. Sa''di, a prominent ethicist and a devout teacher of virtues, stands out for his worldliness, his practical teachings, and his love for living a wholesome life, as well as for his signature elegance and artistry that has compelled critics to call his lyrics perfectly polished diamonds. In a language deliberately free of technical jargon, Keshavarz argues for the versatility of Sa''di''s poetic voice and portrays his notion of love as open to multiple perspectives including homoerotic aesthetics. She brings to life the worldly wisdom that kept the lyrical, adventurous, and ethical legacy of Sa''di fresh and effective through the passage of time.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the most controversial issues that divided Islamic philosophers and theologians for many centuries was whether human beings would have a spiritual or bodily existence after death. Suhrawardi, a pivotal figure in the history of Islamic philosophy, made a crucial contribution to this debate, with his idea of a world of image.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscusses the concept of the vision of God in Sufi Qur'an Commentaries

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first in-depth study of the concept of the vision of God in Sufi eschatology, not only focusing on the hereafter, but also on this-worldly vision.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTransforming our understanding of Persian art, this impressive interdisciplinary book decodes some of the world's most exquisite medieval paintings.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis study follows the lives and ideas of the Yaz?c?o?lu brothers Mehmed Yaz?c?o?lu and Ahmed Bican, Sufis of the frontier city of Gelibolu and authors of the most popular religious writings in Ottoman Turkish.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWalter Feldman traces the historical development of Mevlevi music and the spiritual legacy of Rumi. He brings to light the remarkable musical and mystical aesthetics of the Mevlevi ayin the instrumental and vocal accompaniment to the sublime ceremony of the 'Whirling' Dervishes.

Read more less