A broad-ranging, illustrated, scholarly treatment of core topics in Islamic spirituality. This book discusses the foundations of Sufism, including the Qur’an, the Hadith, pilgrimage, and prayer, as well as a study of the rise of Islam. The companion book Islamic Spirituality: Manifestations delves more deeply into the different ways that Sufism is lived out around the world, with attention to the various sects and their writings.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Sufi authors have written some of the most moving spiritual literature in the world, but getting a handle on it all can be a chore. Where were they coming from? What were their issues? What was their impact? Seventeen scholars have come together to answer these and other questions in Islamic Spirituality: Foundations. Of course, the seeds of Sufism are to be found in the core of Islam--the Quran, the Hadith, pilgrimage, prayer, and such. In Islamic Spirituality: Foundations, the development of these as aspects of an inner tradition are explored in depth as a jumping-off point for talking about the history, practices, and beliefs of the Sufi tradition itself. The assumption is that there is a spiritual side to Islam and that it is most fully developed in Sufi orders and writings. After an extensive treatment of the spirituality inherent in Islam, the authors give an overview of the rise of Sufism. Details of the various sects and literature of Sufism are left for the companion volume, Islamic Spirituality: Manifestations. While the academic language of these scholars can cause mental roadblocks at times, the extra effort is balanced by the wealth of knowledge that they offer. --Brian Bruya
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent introduction to the various dimensions of Islam from within,
This review is from: Islamic Spirituality: Foundations (World Spirituality) (Paperback)
To my knowledge this is one of the first (if not the first) attempt of its kind in the English language -- an attempt to present a clear and detailed view of the various dimensions of Islam from within (i.e. from the perspective of those who believe and live by it). The various contributors are experts in their respective areas and have treated their respective subject matter with the loving care that is the hallmark of those who write from the heart.
8 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of Sufism, modernism -- traditionalism,
By
This review is from: Islamic Spirituality: Foundations (World Spirituality) (Paperback)
If you don't know much about Islam, this isn't the place to start. The authors and perspectives are overwhelmingly Sufi, and strain to present mystical Islam in Christian terms. They generally also represent modernist Islam, assimilated to Western ideas. So this isn't mainstream Islam. But if that's what you're interested in, this is a great book. Of course some essays are better than others, but overall it's a good read. I learned a lot.
Edit - here we are, about 6 years later, and I understand what this book is. Nasr is not a normal Muslim, nor are any of the contributors to this "study." They are "Traditionalists," followers of Rene Guenon. You can read about traditionalism in Sedgwick's "Against the Modern World." What this means is that this is a great book if you want to study "Traditionalist Spirituality," but not if you want to study Islam. Let me recommend Reza Aslan's "No God but God" if you haven't studied Islam much and are just curious. If you want a better introduction to Sufism, consider books by Henri Corbin (also a traditionalist, but more faithful to his declared subjects). There are lots of others of course.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Inside This Book
(learn more)
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
50
books
cite this book:
See all 50 books citing this book
- Ecstasy and Enlightenment: The Ismaili Devotional Literature of South Asia by Ali S. Asani on 4 pages
- The Blackwell Companion to the Qur'an (Wiley-Blackwell Companions to Religion) by Andrew Rippin on page 361, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Wholeness and Holiness in Education by Zahra Al Zeera in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Near and Distant Horizons: In Search of the Primary Sources of Knowledge by John Herlihy on page 40, page 158, and page 159
- Revelation, Intellectual Intuition and Reason in the Philosophy of Mulla Sadra: An Analysis of the al-hikmah al-'arshiyyah (Routledge Sufi Series) by Zailan Moris on page 62, and Back Matter
See all 50 books citing this book
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
