Teachings of Sufism [Paperback]

Carl W. Ernst Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 1999

The prose and verse readings in this book were chosen to interest the many people who have become attracted to Sufi teachings through their exposure to popular Sufi poetry, music, and dance. The selections—mostly from the Middle East and India, ranging from the tenth to the twentieth century—provide a sampling of Sufi thought on some of the basic aspects of this spiritual path.

Most of the readings are published here in English for the first time. Brief introductory remarks place each selection into its historical and religious context, and an index of Qur'anic passages helps the reader to trace the extensive allusions to the Islamic holy scriptures.

The topics covered include:

   •  The nature of mystical love
   •  Meditation
   •  Listening to music as a spiritual practice
   •  Ethical teachings of Sufism
   •  Pitfalls on the spiritual path
   •  Spiritual companionship and the master-disciple relationship
   •  The importance of the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad
   •  Biographical accounts of great mystics, including the poet Rumi as well as several female saints

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Carl Ernst's well-received Shambhala Guide to Sufism, he laments the scarcity of traditional Sufi texts in English. In Teachings of Sufism, Ernst sets out to make amends. His reach is broad, spanning three languages, 10 centuries, and numerous countries and cultures. He divides his brief texts into sections such as Spiritual Practice, Mastery and Discipleship, and Lives of the Saints, with special attention given to his section on listening to sacred music, which "becomes a way of transporting oneself back to that moment of harmony with God in pre-eternity." Also included are selections on lives of Sufi women and the prominent role of the Qur'an in Sufi mysticism. A scholar first, Ernst never himself crosses the line into sectarianism or proselytizing in his introductions, but the unflagging devotion that imbues the pages of his translations is enough to attune anyone's ear to the divine music of life. --Brian Bruya

From Library Journal

With only a few exceptions, the mystical tradition of Sufism has received little attention outside Muslim countries. Ernst's carefully constructed anthology and Barks and Green's entertaining volume are among the best recent examples of new interest in--and improved publications about--the subject. Ernst (religious studies, Univ. of North Carolina) uses translations from primary sources and his own fine connecting material to shed crucial light on topics such as ethics, music, the mystical understanding of the Qur'an, and saints. (He is especially good on the lives of Sufism's women saints.) This book, which does not dilute or Westernize the originals, should become an essential introduction. Barks and Green's work is more popular in approach and limited in scope, but it is a delightful, skillfully written, and imaginatively illustrated book; it too seems indispensable for a beginner in the mystical traditions of Islam. For most collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; First Edition edition (November 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157062349X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570623493
• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 0.8 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #587,453 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

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, May 26, 2010

By 

Md Golam Dastagir (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Teachings of Sufism (Paperback)

This book is in best condition. In fact, I cannot believe that it is used. It looks as good as new.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Scholastic Effort Indeed, July 14, 2009

By 

Jeffree Mars "Itinerant Dervish" (Santa Rosa, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teachings of Sufism (Paperback)

This book, The Teachings of Sufism, by Carl Ernst PhD, is apparently intended for an academically oriented reader. The book is objective to the point that I gave up on reading it carefully, since the spiritual component seems to be absent.
I wound up skimming through most of the book for this reason.
As my intention was to deepen my understanding of Sufism, I was very disappointed. I was therefore not surprised when I looked up the author's background, and discovered that he is a professor at a state sponsored university, and apparently a department head at that! I have come to realize that a person of such stature is not in a position to help me understand Sufism. Me, in my ignorance, I am able to understand at least that much! Seriously though, I found this book to be rather ponderous and dry. I am sure everything he says is true. It is just not what I'm looking for.