Al-Hallaj (Routledge Sufi Series) [Paperback]

Herbert I. W. Mason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 1995 | ISBN-10: 070070311X | ISBN-13: 978-0700703111

The life and teachings of Islam's most dramatic and controversial mystic, Husayn ibn Mansur, better known as Al-Hallaj (the reader of hearts).

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (July 20, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 070070311X
• ISBN-13: 978-0700703111
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,626,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More of an introduction to al-Hallaj, June 22, 2007

By 

Gogol (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Al-Hallaj (Routledge Sufi Series) (Paperback)

If you have never read anything regarding al-Hallaj he is probably one of the most controversial figures in Islamic literature. Executed for amongst other things his 'heretical' utterings such as "ana al-Haqq" (literally "I am God") His execution became the theme of several 'passion plays' (The book 'The death of al-Hallaj' being though just an edited version of Massignons work is pretty much an English translation of one)

This book, is something of an introduction to al-Hallaj, his life and teachings and the events leading up to his death. It would be quite a useful book were it not for the price which I think is even more expensive than Massignons edited al-Hallaj! The author does an excellent job in re-introducing al-Hallaj to the public, instead of concentrating on his supposed "Heretical" Comments he places al-Hallaj in the centre of political scheming that resulted in his execution. al-Hallaj is described as a man devoted to his prayers and in fact a man strict in his observance of Islamic law. He travelled widely converting many in Central Asia and even as far as China and most of the controversy appears to come from opponents within the Abbasid court (Both Shia and Sunni) who saw him as something of a peoples champion against their own exploitation of the common people. The charged against al-Hallaj were not so much his supposed uttering against God but rather that he had constructed a Kaba in his home and said it would act as an alternative to making the pilgrimage to Mecca for those who could not afford it (This had previously been done ironically by the Abbasid Court for their own Turkish soldiers, in Soviet Russia a Tatar city in Central Russia was used as an alternative to the Haj for Muslims unable to go because of Soviet restraints on religion and it is fairly common in Islamic history for "Alternatives" To be mentioned for those unable to make the pilgrimage) A further interesting point was that some of the strongest defenders of al-Hallaj were in fact the Hanbalis (It appears that al-Hallaj was a Hanbali himself) a Islamic school of thought generally seen today as one of the least tolerant towards Sufism. The author points out that this may have been the main reason that ibn Taymiyya had a particular dislike for al-Hallaj due to possible widespread sympathy within his own school for him even in his day. Furthermore, looking at the reasons that ibn Taymiyya condemns the man it would appear contary to the teachings of al-Hallaj himself.

I enjoyed reading this book and it certainly provided an eye opener to early Sufism and to early Hanbali Islam. Therefore I would strongly recommend it.

Worth a read but only if you can find it second hand or on sale price. Otherwise, you may as well get the complete Massignon book.