Nizam Ad-Din Awliya: Morals for the Heart: Conversations of Shaykh Nizam Ad-Din Awliya Recorded by Amir Hasan Sijzi (Classics of Western Spirituality) [Paperback]

Nizam Ad-Din Awliya (Author), Bruce B. Lawrence (Editor, Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1991 | Series: Classics of Western Spirituality

The first and foremost representative of a literary genre that attained great popularity among South Asian Sufis, Fawa'id al-Fu'ad or Morals for the Heart, contains the conversations of a major Indian saint, Shaykh Nizam ad-din Awliya (d. 1325). Though recorded by a poet-disciple Amir Hasan, they were edited by the saint himself, and reflect his chaste, understated tone. In its style Morals for the Heart exemplifies the virtue of Persian prose as a didactic instrument. It communicates the numerous skills, the diverse moods, and the remarkable sensibilities of its austere subject. It captures the spirit of Shaykh Nizam ad-din's towering presence, his absolute loyalty to his spiritual master, his taste for poetry and music, and his empathy with the sufferings of others. We see him crying and laughing and praying. Passionate in his quest for God, he has left in Morals for the Heart a spiritual legacy that still animates and satisfies others who never knew him. Here! Muslims discover one more treasure from their pre-modern past. Here non-Muslims encounter an Islam that brings peace and spiritual insight. Here all humanity is stilled by the saga of a Muslim exemplar who enshrined sacrifice and love as the highest goals of human existence when framed by faith in God.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Paulist Press (January 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080913280X
• ISBN-13: 978-0809132805
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Islam > Sufism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent diary, July 21, 2006

By 

Farseem Mohammedy (Hamilton, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nizam Ad-Din Awliya: Morals for the Heart: Conversations of Shaykh Nizam Ad-Din Awliya Recorded by Amir Hasan Sijzi (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

This an excellent diary of the discourses made by a major early Indian Sufi Master. Hadrat Nizamuddin Awliya is an extremely well-known sufi and his shrine in Delhi is still venerated with the same zeal as was the case in 14th century. This book describes the great saint's dated discourses over a period of couple of years compiled by a disciple. Nizamuddin Awliya discussed many details in the form of parables, so no brainstorming needed from the reader. With lots of tidbits on how one should behave, how one should pray, many simple dua's that one can make, this book is really a gem for humble sufi students. The words of this book are full of lights of illumination.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rest well, November 27, 2005

By 

Nora R. Hope "Knowledge without ethics is vanity" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nizam Ad-Din Awliya: Morals for the Heart: Conversations of Shaykh Nizam Ad-Din Awliya Recorded by Amir Hasan Sijzi (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book, beautifully translated. Have patience with the author's style/presentation template. It is literary politeness.

Someone once explained to me the Chishti path: small effort, big results. Indian Sufism is unique.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chicken Soup for the Spiritually Hungry, April 14, 2001

By 

DustyFeet "dustyfeet" (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nizam Ad-Din Awliya: Morals for the Heart: Conversations of Shaykh Nizam Ad-Din Awliya Recorded by Amir Hasan Sijzi (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

Althought the layout takes getting used to, by the 4th or 5th page one can get thoroughly absorbed in the text and the words of wisdom.

Nizamuddin Awliya was a great Muslim Saint of the Chishti spiritual order during the Moghul-Indian era. He was a spiritual inheritor of Baba Fariduddin Ganj Shakr and of Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti of Ajmer. Among his famous disciples was Amir Khusroe, the famous sufi poet.

While this is a collection of his sayings to his students and people of the era, much of the advice is timeless.

Bruce lawrence has made a good effort in keeping the mood of the text and this is a book not only for those interested in Sufism, but as a book of inspiration and comfort .