Author:William Chittick “For the first time in the history of Orientalism, a thorough study of Ibn al-‘Arabi’s thought is now available. William Chittick has given us a translation of numerous passages from the work of the Magister Magnus and placed them in their theological context, thus removing many misunderstandings that have prevailed both among Muslims […]

Moshtagh Ali shahThis attractive mausoleum belongs to a renowned Sufi mystic.The building dates back to Qajar era, while some parts of the structure are from Mongol era. With prominent blue-and-white-tiled roofs dating from the late Qajar period, this attractive mausoleum is the last resting place of several Kerman notables, but it’s remembered particularly (and named) […]

‏RNS) What do the 20th-century American Catholic writers Flannery O’Connor and Frank O’Hara have to do with Rumi, the 13th-century Persian Muslim poet? For Brad Gooch, who has written biographies of all three, quite a lot. “In my mind, if you put together Flannery O’Connor and Frank O’Hara you get Rumi,” Gooch said in an […]

A little history of Sufism and the Naqshbandi Order: Sufism has penetrated into the Western world at two far removed periods of history if we exclude the Muslim population of Europe in such lands as Albania and Bosnia. The first was what in the West is called the medieval period and in such lands as […]

The coming of a revelation (from God) to Moses–may peace be upon him– about excusing the shepherd  After that, God spoke secretly into the inmost consciousness of Moses–secrets which cannot be spoken. (Divine) words were scattered upon Moses’ heart, (so that) vision and speech were mixed together. So many times he became lost of self,so […]

For lovers, there is a conflagration every moment. There are no taxes (imposed) on a ruined village. If (the lover) speaks wrongly,don’t call him a sinner. If the martyr is bloody, don’t wash him. For martyrs, blood is better than (being washed by) water. This fault (of being bloody) is better than a hundred correct […]

Sufi Brotherhoods Following the period of Rumi the process of the development of the Sufi brotherhoods continued apace. Starting with the Qadiriyya (associated with ʿAbd al-Qadir al-Jilani, 1077–1166), which today is both the oldest of the brotherhoods as well as the one that has the broadest reach throughout the Muslim world, brotherhoods became prominent in […]