Customer Reviews

Hallaj: Mystic and Martyr [ABRIDGED]

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There are two audiences that this book might possibly interest. One is the student of medieval Islam, for whom this book is certainly worth a read. There is a great deal in here regarding the development of Islamic thought during the Abbasid period, and the central role that Al-Hallaj played as a focal point in that period. This was a time when much of Islamic theology was just starting to be articulated, the mihna was in operation and the great Islamic scholastics had not yet appeared. It was also a time before most of the major Sufic schools that we know today came into existence, and Al-Hallaj's legacy was to be central to a great deal of later Sufic material. However, it is not a book for the beginning student in this era, and if you are one, you are better off starting with a more general history of the thought of the era before tackling this book. This may be due to the fact that it is an abridgement of Massignon's original opus, and perhaps a lot of his supplementary explanation has been deleted. The Islamic sections of the Cambridge Medieval History wouldn't be a bad place to start. The other audience that would be interested in this book are those interested in the spiritual content of Al-Hallaj's teachings, and while Al-Hallaj is a central figure in the Sufi traditions and Massignon was certainly in sympathy with those traditions, I feel that if this is your interest you will have to work through a great deal of detail that will be extraneous to your interest. In short, it's a book for the serious student of the man and the era, and if that's what you are, go for it.

I am working on translating the book from French to Arabic since 5 years, and Mr. Mason -although never met with him- was kind enough to send me his English translation of the 4 volumes book.
The book: It is a kind of encyclopedic bibliography with a great aim. Massignon believed that Hallaj, by becoming "the perfect Muslim" was leading himself all the way to be crucified for the mercy of mankind. And by trying to proof this theory, Massignon was hoping to unify all the people who believed in Abraham (Jews, Christians and Muslims) in one "spot of light", which is the violent death of a man in the attitude of "Qur'anic Christ" (according to the account of Jesus Christ in the Muslim's holy book).
The book is a useful reading if you are interested in history, sociology, monotheistic religions or knowledge in general.
The translation: Mason definitely made a fine job. Reading the English version is much easier than the French one, and most of the very complicated ideas of Massignon have been put in more comprehensive way, always without deteriorating the "unique flood" of Massignon writing. A lot of useful notes have been added and some important references have been corrected in the English version.
An important note: It is not an easy reading; Vol.2,3 & 4 are purely academic. The abreviated version (by Mason) is fair enough if you are not a specialist.

There are several well known Sufis who are possibly the most influential on Islamic thought. These are ibn Arabi, al-Ghazali, Abdul Qadir Jilani and ibn Farid. al-Hallaj must surely also fit into that category.

Massignon has provided the reader here with an excellent introduction to the Muslim mystic Hallaj covering every possible detail. His life, the historical events of his time, the fundamentals of Sufism, Islamic theology, how Hallaj understood and interpreted Islamic theology, his teachers, his students, his journeys in search of knowledge and students, his final condemnation, trial and execution and the repercussions.

This is an abridged version of Massignon's 4 volume work on Hallaj and it is such a pity that the complete version is so difficult to find. Judging by the amount of information contained in this book I can only imagine that the unedited edition is a goldmine of information.

For anyone studying the development of early Sufism this book cannot be recommended enough.

Louis Massignon's "Hallaj" is classic piece of scholarly research obviously compiled with passion for the topic. Anyone researching the figure of Hallaj undoubtedly arrives at this book early on their journey. Everything you wanted to know about Hallaj is within these covers. At times it is tiring to read the dry scholastic material,but if you can get past that, it is a valuable book on the life of Hallaj.

I have read much of the original series that this book comes from, and taken a class by the author. Mason is a brilliant scholar and has done an excellent job of bringing to life the writings of one of the most important and fascinating of the sufi mystics.

Al Hallaj is a figure of towering importance in the Muslim world, and within the legacy of Sufism. He is little known in the west, which is a shame, for his life is incredibly inspiring. His life and passion have a great deal to do with the development of Islam, and this book is a good source for understanding the contemporary historical and theological context of his life. For scholars, this is a valuable source.

For those whose primary interest is in Al Hallaj as a mystical figure, this book is less helpful. This is a different line of inquiry, one in which the primary goal is not to know more facts, but to feel more, to experience for oneself what a being like Al Hallaj experienced.