The seeker can learn from the sufis, even become one and yet remain independent of these specific religious trappings. Sufism, in other words, was like other branches of islamic learning in that it was grounded in a tradition of scholarship and study. Spiritual celebrities, sufism and the superhighway. Written for the beginner as well as the intermediate traveler, sufism for western seekers helps equip its reader with the necessary psychospiritual exercises and tools required to awaken dormant human faculties. Islamsu sm is masterpiece by titus burckhardt examines.
Mustafa draper and galina yemelianova aspects of the naqshbandihaqqani order in north america david damrel seekers on the. The irshad is regarded by many as the most important work in islamic spirituality for our time and a testament to the fact that sufism is a living tradition. Western psychological terminology and insights are useful, so they are used. First published in 1964 with an introduction by robert graves, it introduced sufi ideas to the west in a format acceptable to nonspecialists at a time when the study of sufism had largely become the reserve of orientalists. Infact islamic spirituality books are those books that increases you in imaan and instill in you deep understanding of faith. The sufis is one of the best known books on sufism by the writer idries shah. Treatise for the seekers of guidance download ebook pdf. The work charts the sufi spiritual path and discipline through discourse and dialogue, story and. In this personal, semibiographic spiritual guide, sufism itself is redefined as being older. Although sufism has always provoked considerable interest in the west, no volume has so far been written which discusses this aspect of islam in terms of how it is practised in western societies. This is an inspiring and at the same time beautifully subtle book, with lightfilled insights on every page. Yet this ancient path of spiritual knowing is much broader and older, available through all religions and independent of islam and these orders. Ahmad javid sarwari qaderi, sufi experience of god seeks to open a spiritual and intellectual space in the readers mind for.
I always suggest for readers to start with the book sufism for western seekers, which was yet to be written 15 years ago when i started out on the spiritual superhighway. Announcing the launch of a new book on sufism sufi experience of god. Professionally, specializing in the healing applications of therapeutic recreation, psychiatric rehabilitation and mental health treatment. In my considered view, here is a book to be read by all seekers of the. However, the term sufism has widely been defined as islamic mysticism that prescribes a true love of god which can only be generated by marifa gnosis, or knowing god properly. As bitkoff repeatedly says in the book, it is the religion before religion. The seeker can learn from the sufis, even become one and yet remain independent of these specific religious forms. Stewart bitkoff for the spiritual traveler who wishes to follow the sufi path, the following 10 learning principles represent some of the dimensions to this ancient form of learning. Seyyed hossein nasr is one of the worlds leading scholars of sufism, islam and world philosophy. Written for the beginner as well as the intermediate traveler, sufism for western seekers helps equip its reader with the necessary psychospiritual exercises and tools required to. Bringing together leading international authorities to survey the history of islamic mysticism in north america and europe, this book elaborates the ideas and institutions which organize sufism and folkreligious. I have read many books and there are couple of books on sufism which are really. The real book for any real seeker is a realised spiritual master the knower of allah.
Why is sufism so compelling to both spiritual seekers and scholars. This paper is a primary outline of the main contours of this phenomenon. For many western spiritual seekers, sufism is often misunderstood and viewed as an islamic mystical tradition presented through various sufi orders. Sufism, mystical islamic belief and practice in which muslims seek the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of god. More than scholars in other fields, however, the sufis knew that learning was only a tool, not an end. Though there had been previous studies of sufism in western. If an eastern muslim seeker aspires to higher human development and union with the divine, he or she will need to embrace the sufi way and be extremely cautious and stealthy in the necessary studies of zen, yoga and theosophy to fillin the knowledge blanks that are missing in the usual sufi formulations. Chronicles of a seeker on the islamic sufi path,54. Sufisms origins in islam place its study firmly in the terrain of western. Among the general western public, sufism has often been confused with the mystical traditions of the far east, and thus considered an independent religion without ties to islam.
This book describes learning in 2 modern western mystical sufi schools, which were independent of islam and the traditional sufi orders. Introduction jamal malik 1 literary productions of western sufi movements marcia hermansen 2 persian sufism in the contemporary west. Its the best introduction to sufism that ive ever read. The transformation of the heart gives a clear and accessible outline of sufism. According to idries shah, the last publicly known sufi teacher only one is recognised in every generation, they have also had a major influence upon western thought, via important individuals such as roger bacon, st francis, ramon lull, and many others. John hinnells surveying the history of islamic mysticism in north america and europe, this book elaborates the ideas and institutions which organize sufism and folkreligious practices. Sufism in the west chapter 10 the cambridge companion to. Similarly, in western academia, sufism has been the subject of a range of. While summarizing the basic doctrines of sufism, its historical unfolding, its luminaries and prerogatives nasr also draws a basic map of the path for the potential wayfarer. Sufism for the western seeker, published in 2011, was nominated by foreword magazine for adult non fiction religious book of year book of the year award, placing 4 th honorable mention and is a must read. Western academics and muslims, elites and masses, outsiders and insidersall are brought together in this insightful survey of sufi discourse, practice, community, institutions, and leadership.
It consists of mystical paths that are designed to learn the nature of humanity and of god and to facilitate the experience of the presence of divine love and wisdom. This book investigates the development of sufism in western societies. The holy trail this primer on sufism is written especially for western readers who are looking for a comprehensive explanation of the principles and practice of this ancient spiritual path. In the instance of new age sufism, faddish imitations of esoteric islamic traditions are adopted by western spiritual seekers. Jason webster on why the republication of idries shah book about sufism. Instead, this book is recommended for anyone seeking an easily relatable introduction to mystical thought and spiritual selfhelp practices from someone who has spent his life on a spiritual journey. Sufis say that before people can attain to higher knowledge. In 1244, the sufi poet, jalaluddin rumi, met a wandering seeker named shamsitabriz. Introduction jamal malik literary productions of western sufi movements marcia hermansen persian sufism in the contemporary west. Open your heart in order to receive divine benevolence. A special treat for those interested in the adaptation of islam to modern western society, the volume offers an opportunity to better understand both the spiritual dimension and the lived circumstances of sufism in britain today. Idries shahs definitive work, the sufis, completely overturned western misconceptions of sufism, revealing a great spiritual and psychological tradition.
A handbook was written by idries shah, one of the foremost writers on sufism. Click download or read online button to get treatise for the seekers of guidance book now. Announcing the launch of a new book on sufism sufi. East, successive spiritual seekers of a universal and eternal wisdom, along. Islam and destiny of man is an excellent book especially for a western. Bitkoff is an avid student of sufi mysticism and the perennial philosophy. A seeker s guide posted on february 20, 2020 by imam salim chishti aldie, va. Sufism for western seekers is not a historical or theological work about sufism written for the academic market. Both represent attempts to respond to the islamist challenge without recourse to politics or the military.
Upon meeting, the two men immediately went into private retreat together and emerged 90 days later in a transformed condition. The arabic term sufi has been used in islamic literature with a wide range of meanings, by both proponents and opponents of sufism. Not surprisingly, with the popularity of new age spirituality there has been increased interest in sufism among western seekers. Review of sufism for western seekers 9780615562803. While exploring the spiritual and psychological processes of transformation, this book offers practical guidelines to help the seeker. It is not necessary to read islamic spiritiuality books only when you are in search of sufism. An account of this sort of learning is available in. A list of books to increase islamic spirituality islam. A history of sufism for western readers the fountain. The spiritual practices of rumi reveals the esoteric.
It is the duty of every muslim to attain tazkiyah and nearness of allah the exalted. The phenomenon of western sufi teachers is unique, not just because of the individuals themselves, though they are certainly fascinating, but because of what they represent. The word sufi today most likely conjures up an image of a muslim mendicant immersed in chanting, whirling and mystical introspection. Path of the spiritual traveler in everyday life, dr. Sufism for the western seeker is his most recent book, and chronicles learning in 2 modern western sufi schools. The second trend involves high concept meanderings in revisionist islamic, european, and american history. Books on sufism by shaykh taner ansari the sun will rise in the west. Sulaymancis in germany gerdien jonker 4 third wave sufism in america and the bawa muhaiyaddeen fellowship gisela webb 5. Aldous huxley had popularized the term perennial philosophy in his book of the same. Shaping ones reality and directing ones thoughts and actions are among the mystical teachings within dr. Instead this was written as a sufi treatise for western seekers. Sufism and the way of blame download pdfepub ebook.
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