The Spy of the Heart (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This fascinating autobiographical travelogue . . . presents a more positive view of Islam than currently represented in the Western press. . . . The Spy of the Heart is a simply told, but an intensely gripping story of study and later initiation into Sufism."  —Professor Leonard Lewisohn, PhD, Islamic Studies Department, University of Exeter

Product Description

Exploring the doctrines and practices of contemporary Islamic spirituality in Afghanistan, this book draws the reader into the complex world of Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam. Because of its long history of metaphysical and theological inquiry, Sufism has over the centuries developed a religious sophistication that offers an alternative to militant and literalist Islam. The narrative and personal descriptions of the people and cultures of rural Afghanistan allow readers to better understand the positive aspects of Islam and to feel the depths of Afghan yearning and sorrow after decades of war.

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Product Details Paperback: 364 pages Publisher: Fons Vitae; illustrated edition edition (April 1, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 1929148623 ISBN-13: 978-1929148622 Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,142,705 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #79 in  Books > Travel > Asia > Afghanistan

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The Spy of the Heart, Ustad Khalili, Abdul Hayy, United States, Mohammed Ali, Abdul Haqq, Hesbi Islami, American Club, Commander Nurullah, Abdul Ahad, United Nations, The Great Buddhas, Jamiat Islami, The Salt of the Earth, Haji Nezakat, Loss of Face, Hafizullah Arbab, Duncan Hunter, Mazar-i Sharif, Engineer Nasim, Abdul Karim, Commander Asif, Homayon Etemadi, Broken Peace, Bread Alone

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	88% buy the item featured on this page: The Spy of the Heart 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) $12.44
	12% buy The Garden of Mystery: The Gulshani-i raz of Mahmud Shabistari (Classics of Sufi Poetry Series) 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) $16.46

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Sufism and Afghanistan : Naqshbandiyya Order, July 3, 2007 By  Martin Leon Cabrera (Argentina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Review by Leonard Lewisohn "Do any books on contemporary Sufism in Afghanistan exist? In any European language at least, this is the first one to my knowledge. Robert Darr's The Spy of the Heart chronicles his years of travels, many adventures, imprisonment among Afghan warlords and tribes-people during the Soviet occupation just before the rise of the Taliban. This fascinating autobiographical travelogue, which presents a more positive view of Islam than currently represented in the Western press or by the more literalist exponents of Islam, details the author's spiritual search that led him ultimately to convert to Islam, but not without asking many questions about the purpose and problems inherent in adopting any religion. Between 1985 and 1990, Darr, an American, was in and out of Afghanistan working with aid organizations delivering medicines and humanitarian aid to those affected by the war with the Soviet Union. He had already been a student of Islamic culture for more than a decade, with a particular interest in Sufism. During these years in Afghanistan Darr became fluent in Persian and immersed himself deeply in the Afghan culture, going completely native in a way that few Westerners ever have--the priceless photos of Darr in Afghan turban and shalvar that illustrate the book recall Edward Browne in A Year among the Persians (1893) decked out in dervish regalia. Not an historical survey of Sufi orders like Trimingham's The Sufi Orders of Islam (1971), nor monograph on a particular Sufi order like Pourjavady's and Wilson's Kings of Love (1978), nor research anthropological fieldwork like Valerie Hoffman's Sufism, Mystics and Saints in Modern Egypt (1995), Robert Darr's The Spy of the Heart yet represents a unique account of experiential Sufism lived and practiced in war-torn Afghanistan during the 1980s--the kind of living esoteric Islam promised but never delivered in Idries Shah's works or in Gurdjieff's Meetings with Remarkable Men. Darr's account of Sufism offers no extravagant fabula with dramatic effect and novelesque style--certainly no attempt to hoodwink the naïve student with Blavatskyian tall-tales of secret masters in hidden monasteries, or treasure maps of lost civilizations concealed in dilapidated houses, a la Gurdjieff et Shah. The Spy of the Heart is a simply told, but an intensely gripping story of study and later initiation into Sufism vis-à-vis the author's association with the greatest modern Afghan poet Khalilullah Khalili and the miniaturist painter Homayon Etemadi and encounters with Sufis of the Naqshbandi Order in northern Afghanistan. Although casual and non-academic, Robert Darr's narrative yet manages to explore many themes of interest in the study of Islamic spirituality and history, militant Islam, the role of ethnicity in socio-cultural relations, current affairs, and international relations, making it a good text for undergraduate students seeking an understanding of contemporary Islamic spirituality of the Persianate variety, as well as students of modern Afghan history and politics." 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A spiritual adventure..., August 24, 2007 By  Jaymz Dilworth (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews Disclaimer. I know author. I'm giving this book a good rating, not because he is a friend, but because it is actually a fascinating story. It is an adventure, a spiritual journey, and astute political observation rolled into one easy to read travelogue. Robert helped distribute supplies for the UN in Afghanistan during the soviet war in the late 80's. I knew him for many years without knowing this side to him. His book chronicles his time there and shows how the seeds of militant Islam were sown during this time. This isn't a guy who drove around in a white land-rover with a blue helmet. He spoke the language, blended with the locals, and herded bags of money across mountains on donkeys avoiding mujahadeen and feuding warlords. I most enjoyed the adventure, but Robert also tells of his spiritual journey, and how he came to understand Islam and ultimately convert. He is a poet and connects with the graceful face of Islam. He makes no apologies for the corruption being done in it's name. I'm not religious, but this book opened my eyes on Afghanistan, Islam, and a fascinating character who has taught me a lot. 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars The tragedy and Hope of Afghanistan, October 22, 2007 By  Buryali Zramalval (London) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I came across this book as recommendation by the Curator of Turkish and Persian Manuscripts in the British Library and told me something about the authors background, at the time I was only able to find a copy online and unable to read it therefore was ecstatics to have found a hardback copy. I am not good for words but it comes highly recommended by myself who is an afghan and found it hard to find reliable information about the country and its people which is mostly drawn on through ideological lines. This is a story of one person who goes literally at times endangering his own life, with a open heart and the process witness the dawn of the militant Islam in Afghanistan and the marginalization of spirituality and the high open-minded Muslim culture which once dominated the region and why. Valor, courage, integrity, honesty, hardworking, keeping once word, run deep through out the story. Robert so shows its importance in age self interested. the it is serious and funny at times which makes a good travelogue to keep the reader glued on to the book. What I come to realize and I hope everyone that does read it will to, is Robert seized on to life, those opportunities that presented him no matter how much risky or impossible they looked and so he won at the end. At one point it reminded me of Davidson, in 'Only Fools and Horses' a British comedy in which his favorite catchphrase is 'he who dares wins' but in different light. I have not done much a service to his book by writing this for 'his a remarkable man' as the curator told me.		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Fons Vitae; illustrated edition edition (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929148623
• ISBN-13: 978-1929148622
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,142,705 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #79 in

  Books > Travel > Asia > Afghanistan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sufism and Afghanistan : Naqshbandiyya Order, July 3, 2007

By	Martin Leon Cabrera (Argentina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Review by Leonard Lewisohn
"Do any books on contemporary Sufism in Afghanistan exist? In any European language at least, this is the first one to my knowledge.

Robert Darr's The Spy of the Heart chronicles his years of travels, many adventures, imprisonment among Afghan warlords and tribes-people during the Soviet occupation just before the rise of the Taliban. This fascinating autobiographical travelogue, which presents a more positive view of Islam than currently represented in the Western press or by the more literalist exponents of Islam, details the author's spiritual search that led him ultimately to convert to Islam, but not without asking many questions about the purpose and problems inherent in adopting any religion. Between 1985 and 1990, Darr, an American, was in and out of Afghanistan working with aid organizations delivering medicines and humanitarian aid to those affected by the war with the Soviet Union. He had already been a student of Islamic culture for more than a decade, with a particular interest in Sufism. During these years in Afghanistan Darr became fluent in Persian and immersed himself deeply in the Afghan culture, going completely native in a way that few Westerners ever have--the priceless photos of Darr in Afghan turban and shalvar that illustrate the book recall Edward Browne in A Year among the Persians (1893) decked out in dervish regalia.

Not an historical survey of Sufi orders like Trimingham's The Sufi Orders of Islam (1971), nor monograph on a particular Sufi order like Pourjavady's and Wilson's Kings of Love (1978), nor research anthropological fieldwork like Valerie Hoffman's Sufism, Mystics and Saints in Modern Egypt (1995), Robert Darr's The Spy of the Heart yet represents a unique account of experiential Sufism lived and practiced in war-torn Afghanistan during the 1980s--the kind of living esoteric Islam promised but never delivered in Idries Shah's works or in Gurdjieff's Meetings with Remarkable Men. Darr's account of Sufism offers no extravagant fabula with dramatic effect and novelesque style--certainly no attempt to hoodwink the naïve student with Blavatskyian tall-tales of secret masters in hidden monasteries, or treasure maps of lost civilizations concealed in dilapidated houses, a la Gurdjieff et Shah.

The Spy of the Heart is a simply told, but an intensely gripping story of study and later initiation into Sufism vis-à-vis the author's association with the greatest modern Afghan poet Khalilullah Khalili and the miniaturist painter Homayon Etemadi and encounters with Sufis of the Naqshbandi Order in northern Afghanistan. Although casual and non-academic, Robert Darr's narrative yet manages to explore many themes of interest in the study of Islamic spirituality and history, militant Islam, the role of ethnicity in socio-cultural relations, current affairs, and international relations, making it a good text for undergraduate students seeking an understanding of contemporary Islamic spirituality of the Persianate variety, as well as students of modern Afghan history and politics."

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A spiritual adventure..., August 24, 2007

By	Jaymz Dilworth (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

Disclaimer. I know author. I'm giving this book a good rating, not because he is a friend, but because it is actually a fascinating story. It is an adventure, a spiritual journey, and astute political observation rolled into one easy to read travelogue.

Robert helped distribute supplies for the UN in Afghanistan during the soviet war in the late 80's. I knew him for many years without knowing this side to him. His book chronicles his time there and shows how the seeds of militant Islam were sown during this time. This isn't a guy who drove around in a white land-rover with a blue helmet. He spoke the language, blended with the locals, and herded bags of money across mountains on donkeys avoiding mujahadeen and feuding warlords.

I most enjoyed the adventure, but Robert also tells of his spiritual journey, and how he came to understand Islam and ultimately convert. He is a poet and connects with the graceful face of Islam. He makes no apologies for the corruption being done in it's name.

I'm not religious, but this book opened my eyes on Afghanistan, Islam, and a fascinating character who has taught me a lot.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The tragedy and Hope of Afghanistan, October 22, 2007

By	Buryali Zramalval (London) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I came across this book as recommendation by the Curator of Turkish and Persian Manuscripts in the British Library and told me something about the authors background, at the time I was only able to find a copy online and unable to read it therefore was ecstatics to have found a hardback copy.

I am not good for words but it comes highly recommended by myself who is an afghan and found it hard to find reliable information about the country and its people which is mostly drawn on through ideological lines. This is a story of one person who goes literally at times endangering his own life, with a open heart and the process witness the dawn of the militant Islam in Afghanistan and the marginalization of spirituality and the high open-minded Muslim culture which once dominated the region and why. Valor, courage, integrity, honesty, hardworking, keeping once word, run deep through out the story. Robert so shows its importance in age self interested. the it is serious and funny at times which makes a good travelogue to keep the reader glued on to the book.

What I come to realize and I hope everyone that does read it will to, is Robert seized on to life, those opportunities that presented him no matter how much risky or impossible they looked and so he won at the end. At one point it reminded me of Davidson, in 'Only Fools and Horses' a British comedy in which his favorite catchphrase is 'he who dares wins' but in different light. I have not done much a service to his book by writing this for 'his a remarkable man' as the curator told me.