Customer Reviews

The Way of the Sufi (Compass)

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This book is a great source of information and history on Sufism. A scholarly work, published first in 1970, it is still pertinent to today.

It opens with an important chapter on the study of Sufism in the Western world -- and its limitations.

Shah raises questions about how much one can learn and understand about Sufism, using books and writings which may not fully understand how Sufism works. As one example, he uses modern Western debates on the meaning of the word "Sufi". Westerners, with our determination that there is an understandable and intellectual explanation for everything, often cannot accept that there may not be a 'logical' explanatin.

As explained in the eleventh -century Revelation, the earliest Persian writings on Sufism by Hujwiri, the term 'Sufi' has no etymology.

But for decades, a common explanation by Westerners is that
'Sufi' is similar to the Arabic word pronounced soof which means 'wool'. Those practicing Sufism wore wool, therefore this is the logical explanation.

(Shah submits that the reason common among Sufis is that the effects of sounds are important in Sufism -- and the sound of the Arabic letters which bring out the sounds of S U F are significant to the Sufis in their practices).

This short chapter is full of useful thoughts for modern day Western "Sufis" , with cautions and thoughts about what Sufism is, how it is understood and much more. He ends the chapter with a list of requirements for Western students studying Sufism -

1. Understand the bulk of translations available are unsuitable 2. seek authorative written and oral information and activities designed by Sufis to operate in the student's own culture and times
3. Recognize organizations not genuinely Sufi are 'conditioning instruments' whether consciously or otherwise
4. be prepared to abandon preconceptions about what it means to 'study'
5. decide whether the student's search is or is not a disguised search for social integration, a manifestation of sheer curiosity, a desire for emotionial stimulus or statisfactin?
6. credit the possibility that there is a conscious, efficient, deliberate source of legitimate Sufic teaching in the West.
(These seem to be true and good questions for any Seeker to ask, of any religious practice)

This is all in the first chapter, and more - worth the price of the book just to read that section. But, there is of course, much more. Shah states the intent of this book is to give geeral reader an idea of the richness and variety of Sufi ideas, and the rest of the writings have been formed as an introduction to Westerners in the mid-20th century, when the book was written.

Next is a section on Classic Authors with quotes and short biographical/historical/philosophical information about these authors. Twelfth century philosopher El-Ghazali, Omar Khayyam, Attar of Nishapar, Ibn El-Arabi, Saadi of Shiraz, Hakim Jami, Hakim Sanai, Jalaludin Rumi are touched on.

The next section is Four Major Orders, with short explanations of 1) The Chishti Order 2) The Qardi Order 3) The Suhrawardi Order and 4) The Naqshbandi Order.

There are also stories of Sufi Masters, teaching stories, themes for solitary contemplation, group recitals and letters and lectures (very short, at the end).

My Turkish daughter in law when introduced to American Sufis in our Quaker meeting looked puzzled -- they did not seem closely related to the Sufis she is familiar with. This book may explain why.

The opening essay of this fascinating book provides a clear, concise tracing of the Sufi influence on human thought and action through the centuries. That's followed by sections on the great Sufi masters of the past, including background information and selections from their most influential teachings. The book also includes a wide assortment of teaching stories, lectures, and themes for contemplation, which, taken together, provide a panoramic view of the Sufis and the impact they have had--and continue to have--on society. This is essential reading for those who wish to learn what it means to be "in the world but not of it" from the authentic Sufi perspective.

My title for this review consists of a quote from Shah's introduction to a number of El-Ghazali's quotes, observations, and admonitions. In a society like ours in which "information" is so often used interchangeably with "knowledge," we suddenly come upon an author (Shah) who uses words in a special, precise fashion that sharpens both his message and our understanding. After Ghazali, Shah introduces us to the works of seven other classical Sufi authors. He then moves on to a consideration of the four major orders, showing us their deficiencies as well as their strengths for raising the consciousness of men and women, primarily in the East. Teaching stories and themes for solitary contemplation are presented toward the end of the book, followed by some revealing "Letters and Lectures," and a Q & A section with two contemporary Sufi masters. The density of Shah's prose, as well as his offerings from other Sufi teachers in later sections of the book, leaves one's mind and heart in awe of the majesty of the Sufi source of Knowledge. I feel that almost anyone can benefit from this book, which is full of material that covers a range from the contemporary and practical to the uplifting and sublime.

The book provides a good collection of sufi sayings - the words of wisdom - e.g.

------The Answer ---

We wrote a hundred letters, and you did not write an answer. This, too, is a reply.

--- Zauqi

---------Remedy------

Your medicine is in you, and you do not observe it.

Your ailment is from yourself, and you do not register it.

-----Hazrat Ali

--------- The State ----

Justice and fairness, not religion or atheism,

Are needful for the protection of the State.

------Hakim Jami

------ The Science -------

The Science of Truth disappers in the Sufi's knowledge.

When will mankind understand this saying?

----Jalaludin Rumi

Humour! History! Stories! Mental teasers! Here are challenges to habitual and defensive thought. We must turn the stone over and examine its several sides.
Shah can be compared to Socrates in his benevolent probing into our cherished but unexamined patterns of thought and action.
Here Idries Shah has translated and assembled a most considerate introduction to Sufi literature and practice. The Way of the Sufi Includes chapters on Sufism in the West, classical authors, Sufi masters, teaching stories and other topics. But this book is not just about the Sufi way, it forms a part of the Sufi Way in our time. Read with energy and an open (but not glib) mind, it can be an avenue for experiential learning.
Enlightening, entertaining, engrossing, The Way of the Sufi just might affect the way you look at things and what you do.

Exerpts:

The Seed of Sufi Knowledge
The true seed was made in Adam's time. The miracle of life, existence.
It germinated in the period of Noah. The miracle of growth, rescue.
By the time of Abraham it had sent forth branches. The miracle of spreading, maintenance.
The epoch of Moses saw the making of the grapes. The miracle of fruit.
The time of Jesus was that of the ripening of the yield. The miracle of tasting, joy.
Mohammed's time saw the pressing of clear wine. The miracle of attainment, transformation. Bayazid Bistami

What Looks After You
Knowledge is better thatn wealth. You have to look after wealth; knowledge looks after you. Ali

The Thief and the Blanket
A thief entered the house of a Sufi, and found nothing there. As he was leaving, the dervish perceived his disappointment and threw him the blanket in which he was sleeping, so that he should not go away empty-handed.

I read this book while traveling Europe alone and it anchored me during that time. For whatever reason, being out of my ordinary environment and with a lot of alone time made much of it sink in. The Way of the Sufi samples wisdom from several periods of Sufi history. Perhaps not unexpectedly I found the writings of some of the sages resonated more with me than others. Not one to usually like rereading books, I found myself thumbing back to the same stories and rereading them again later, plucking different layers of meaning off with each new immersion. Many of the stories read like fables. All are succint and provide ample fodder for reflection and thought.

I love this book. I have ordered copy after copy but they keep dissapearing into the hands of my friends and fellow travelers...

The Way Of The Sufi is an anthology of material from Sufi Schools, teachings, and classical writings, intended as a basic introductory course in Sufi study. Author Idries Shah, well-known for expounding upon Sufi ideas and his work to make Sufi teachings accessible to a Western audience, presents contemporary readers with both outward aspects of Sufi thought and evidence that Sufi principles were absorbed into medieval Christianity, Hinduism, Jewish mysticism, and modern philosophical teachings. A very welcome and timely contribution to Religious Studies collections and reading lists, Idries Shah's The Way Of The Sufi not only focuses upon what Sufi is, but also the role Sufi activity and practice has to play in the modern the world.

In his Introduction to THE WAY OF THE SUFI, Idries Shah tells the reader that "This book is designed to present Sufi ideas, actions, and report: not for the microscope or as museum pieces, but in their relevance to a current community--what we call the contemporary world." Shah has in mind a person with no background in Sufi ideas who has recently heard of Sufism. In the first section he presents a succinct overview of what Sufism both is and is not as well as the problems that might hinder one's approach to learning about the Sufi way. The footnotes in this section are very informative and should be read along with the text. The rest of the book is divided into sections of selected Sufi materials that are relevant to the people of the modern world, such as pieces written by the classical Sufi authors and the letters and lectures of some of the Masters as well as teaching stories and themes for contemplation. This book is an engaging introduction to the Sufi way, with readings that are full of a wit and wisdom that continue to resonate in the mind of the reader.

If you've studied Western and Eastern philosophies fairly extensively and believe that you've pretty much covered all of the bases, think again. While Sufism certainly shares many key elements with other traditions, it still has a feel all its own, so a tour of Sufism is mandatory for those who are compelled to be spiritual seekers.

This book provides just such a tour, and it does it very well, drawing on many sources spanning the centuries, along with providing useful overviews and commentaries by Idries Shah to help us get our bearings. In the end, we're presented not with a specific doctrine or practices, but rather with a diverse bag of rhetorical devices which nudge us from many angles towards a general attitude and orientation which foster spiritual growth.

I recommend this book to open-minded spiritual seekers, particularly those who aren't averse to mysticism.

Best book I ever read. There isn't a more helpful person on Earth, in my opinion.