Sufi Martyrs of Love: The Chishti Order in South Asia and Beyond [Paperback]

Carl W. Ernst (Author), Bruce B. Lawrence (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 2002

For many in the West, the ecstatic dancing ritual of whirling dervishes is
the most recognizable aspect of Sufism. Sufism is the mystical branch of
Islam, with which Muslims throughout the world identify. It emphasizes
direct knowledge of the divine within each person. Its adepts see
meditation, music, song, and dance as integral to the spiritual quest.
The Chishti Sufi order is among the oldest and most popular of all Sufi
traditions. Though most often identified with South Asia, today its devotees
can be found from California to Kuala Lumpur. What are the distinctive
practices of the Chishtis, and how do they differ from other orders? Who
were the founding figures, and what were the seminal texts that provided the
basis for this tradition? And how has this legacy continually been
reinterpreted until the present day?
Sufi Martyrs of Love provides access to the voices of Sufi authorities
through the translation of texts being offered in English for the first
time. It also offers a critical perspective on Western attitudes toward
Islam and Sufism, confronts the prejudices of the academy and the media, and
offers a clarification of the contemporary importance of Sufism from Asia to
America.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is a superb example of what subtly rigorous, questioning, and imaginative scholarship can contribute to inter-civilizational understanding - a goal that honours the Chishtis'own preoccupation with religious inclusiveness and tolerance." --Farhan Nizami, The Prince of Wales Fellow, Magdalen College, Oxford

Sufi Martyrs of Love is particularly supple in its examination of intertwined topics like meditative practice, the complex role and nature of genealogies, the relation of tradition to tombs and shrines; the relation of the Chishti order to configurations of power--pre-colonial, colonial, and post colonial; and the pull between the the traditions homeland and its many and fascinating outposts or new centers. This is an outstanding book; it should be at the top of the reading list not only for Sufism but for comparative mysticism and the history of religions as well.
-- Michael Sells, Emily Judson Baugh and John Marshall Gest Professor of Comparative Religions, Haverford College

About the Author

Carl W. Ernst is Zachary Smith Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the author of Teachings of Sufism; The Shambhala Guide to Sufism; and Eternal Garden: Mysticism, History, and Politics at a South Asian Sufi Center.

Bruce B. Lawrence is the Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Humanities Professor Islamic Studies in the Department of Religion at Duke University. He is the author of Shattering the Myth: Islam Beyond Violence; New Faiths, Old Fears: Muslims and Other Asian Immigrants in American Religious Life; and the translation of Morals for the Heart: Conversations of Shaykh Nizam ad-Din Awliya.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (December 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403960275
• ISBN-13: 978-1403960276
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 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: #703,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carl W. Ernst is a specialist in Islamic studies, with a focus on West and South Asia. His published research, based on the study of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, has been mainly devoted to the study of Islam and Sufism. His book Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World (UNC Press, 2003) has received several international awards, including the Bashrahil Prize for Outstanding Cultural Achievement (Cairo, 2004). He has received fellowships from the Fulbright program and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 2009 he received a John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His current research projects include a study of the Qur'an as literature, studies of Muslim interpreters of Indian religions, and a translation of the Arabic poetry of al-Hallaj.

He studied comparative religion at Stanford University (A.B. 1973) and Harvard University (Ph.D. 1981). He has done extended research tours in India (1978-79, 1981), Pakistan (1986, 2000, 2005), and Turkey (1991), and is a regular visitor to the Gulf, Turkey, and Iran for lectures and conferences. He has taught at Pomona College (1981-1992) and has been appointed as visiting lecturer in Paris (EHESS, 1991, 2003), the University of Seville (2001), and the University of Malaya (2005). On the faculty of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1992, he has been department chair (1995-2000) and Zachary Smith Professor (2000-2005). He is now William R. Kenan, Jr., Distinguished Professor (2005- ) and Director of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations. He and Bruce Lawrence are co-editors of the Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks Series at the University of North Carolina Press.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of information, December 16, 2003

By 

Courtney (Binghamton, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sufi Martyrs of Love: The Chishti Order in South Asia and Beyond (Paperback)

Sufi Martyrs of Love by Carl Ernst and Bruce Lawrence is a travel through the history and practices of the Chishti order of Sufism from its beginnings to the present. The book did a good job explaining how Sufis of the Chishti order have reconciled being Muslim and a Sufi. The book also discussed how many Muslims particularly Whahbbis do not see Sufism as part of Islam. The book touched upon many interesting concepts such as these and it was obviously well researched. However, if you are looking for a basic introduction into Sufisim this is not it. It was a very slow read and at times very dry. There were many times when I found myself skipping entire paragraphs that seemed to just be filled with the names of Sufi masters. There were far too many names to keep track of and their significance within Chishti order. If you have a good foundation of knowledge of Sufism and want to learn about the Chishti order then this is the book for you. If not, then try your luck elsewhere.