Product Description
This is a comprehensive historical study of the Islamic mystical brotherhoods of the northern Sudan. Based on new or previously inaccessible oral and written sources, it traces the change from lineage-based holy clans to centralized supra-tribal brotherhoods in the 19th century. It links this evolution to both external influences from Egypt and Arabia and changes in northern Sudanese society brought about by Egyptian colonial rule. The analysis of this fundamental shift in the nature of religious organization is seen as a major contributory factor in the Mahdist Revolutiuon of 1882-5. The last two chapters present an account of the structure and rituals of the brotherhoods based on their own writings. The work seeks to serve as a corrective to earlier histories of Islam in the Sudan and as a basis for understanding of the role of the brotherhoods in modern Sudanese society. ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of articles by artists, philosophers, psychologists, and social scientists explores the Sufi tradition and its best-known teacher, Rumi, a 13th-century poet, jurist, and philosopher. Setting aside the standard account of Rumi as a poet of mystic love, these contributors view his writings in a historical context, investigating Sufism's ties to Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad and tracing Rumi's influence on Persian and Turkish literature. The reasons why Sufism has transcended national boundaries and sectarian strife so successfully are also debated, and several contributors recommend the Sufi message of faith, love, and tolerance as a useful common ground for dialogue between religious groups. ... Read more

Product Description
Combining culinary history with over one hundred sumptuous recipes inspired by the teachings of Sufism, Sufi Cuisine takes the reader on a sensuous journey of earthly and spiritual delights. The eating and preparation of food is at the heart of Sufi religious practices and beliefs, and the truly inspiring array of dishes-from preserved rose petals and snow helva, to baklava prepared with water in which oak ashes have been soaked overnight-illustrates this beautifully. Full of charming anecdotes, poetry from the great Sufi mystic, Rumi, and delightful recipes, Sufi Cuisine is a pleasure for the mind and the palate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

eat a whole culture
outstanding, excellent, superb.... this is a wonderland ... you get the recipes and you alsoget the context of whirling dervishes in thefifteenth century ... sort of knit yourself your very own serail ... out of this world ... an absolute marvel

Mysticism in Poetry?You bet!, says Superchefblog
Can you imagine a cookbook whose every chapter starts with a poem by the greatest Sufi mystic poet Rumi -- and is actually about Food?Read more on Superchefblog at http://superchefbloggered.blogspot.com/2006/02/sufi-cuisine-nevin-halici.html. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Personal Journal of a Transformation Process Initiated by Baraka
This book is the personal record of the author going through an energy initiation under a Golden or Silent Sufi.Unlike other traditions, where instructions are given or some kind of interpersonal interaction is at the heart of the process, this tradition works by a kind of loving energy infusion which awakens an emotional and spiritual transformation in someone.This process is like shaktipat in Hinduism or like a spontaneous kundalini awakening.There are some historical notes that are valuable concerning the origin of the Sufis too and a lot of metaphysical notes as well that are also valuable, but all is very secondary to the action of the energy, the surrender of the student to this process, and emotional/psychological process that the author rides to completion in about two years.This book is a shorter version of DAUGHTER OF FIRE which is the full journal.The condensed journal came first and represents a thoughtful culling of the journal to bring out the most relevant processes and thoughts.I have read both, but find the condensed one better, even though less complete.The author did a very good job of focusing on the relevant elements of the larger journal. ... Read more

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Traces the life and teachings of this famous Sufi. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Spiritual quest for origin.


It is a great book to read especially for those who are not satisfied with merely ritual of islam.Rituals are structure (a building) and spiritual teaching of Mohammed(pbuh) is foundation, which sufis explore. Those who have a inner seach for truth ,life ,seeking spiritual elevation while living in this world must read this book. Sufism is a spiritual quest ,journey through which we try to achieve nearness (qurbh) of God. Not every thing can be proven by scientific facts. Those who never desire such journey can never look at sufism or spiritual path as inner quest. Many of sufi claims cannot be proven by science, just like existance of soul.
One can only discover those claims to be true or false by (experiencing) and by following the spiritual path of islam. sufis try to uplift those who have potential to rise higher. Aim of sufism is elevation and evolution of soul.This book inspire growth ,progress towards higher realism where human soul originated from. Spiritual beings trapped in earthly form. Discover your origin.

The other hidden dimension of Sufiism
Sufiism is an attempt to bring a universal peace among all, at all cost.In sufiism everyone is right except God who seems to be the source of all evil.Some Sufis even excuse and praise Satan for his refusal to obey the" hypocritical" command by God to prostrate before Adam.Sufis talk about"witnessing"and give elaborate account of that.But the problem is thatnone of these accounts can be verified directly.At time though they makethe mistake of making a few statements that seem to have some empiricallyverifiablecontents.Whenever this happens one can prove, with modernscience, that they were way off and missed the mark greatly.Their socialand political theories can be a source ofStalin style "tyranny" given a"theosophical" justification.There is no wonder that Sufis " witness" thestations ofAbu Bakr, Umar, Othman, and Ali in heaven in the exactly sameorder as it appears in their holding of political office.. The earlybloodshed, fight over power, etc. seems not to bother our Sufis at all andshouldneither be addressed nor questioned.Sufiism has no social orpolitical theory, nor does it offers no solution to any social-politicalproblems.Sufiism on the other hand isa great tool to justify the rulingpower and prevents people from questioning "authority" by giving them"divine" backing and justification.What more justification would one needto stay in power than our Sufis telling people that the political order inearth is a mirror image of divine order and divine will. One reason that abook like Nahjul balaghe of Ali is dismissed is exactly because it bringsout serious questions about the " heavenly status" of many of thesefigures. If Sufiism is to find a place among the present and futuregenerations, it needs to do a house cleaning, and make clear where theystand on some of these very relevant issues, unverifiable fancy claimswon't cut it anymore, that era is long gone ( sorry for the bad news). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Visionary Journey
This book is (as another reviewer pointed out) inspirational. I'm glad I added it to my growing collection of Sufi titles. It can be a little difficult to understand the symbolism and the exact meaning of some of the visions however.It would be great if they included a commentary on thetext to help sort through it.I've searched online and haven't been able to find one so far.I did find the book "Ruzbihan Baqli: Mysticism and the Rhetoric of Sainthood in Persian Sufism"by Carl W. Ernst here on Amazon though and it looks like it could be helpful. It might be worthwhile to buy that book first and then move on to this one but I will have to get a hold of a copy and find out.If so I will edit this review and let everyone know.I do tend to think this is one of those books that were meant to be taught and discussed by a Sufi shaykh with his murid rather then something to just pick up and read on your own.

It was the book "The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism" by Henry Corbin that first turned me on to this work.Speaking of one of the visions recounted in it (in which Ruzbihan received a divine oil and saw the seven stars of the Great Bear constellation as seven apertures through which God was showing himself to him)he states:

"In a dream, Ruzbihan Baqli saw that he sat with two Sufi masters and ate bread and "oil so subtle that it was like a pure spiritual substance."

"Subsequently, one of the two shaykhs asks Ruzbehan if he knows what this substance was. As he does not know, the shaykh informs him that it was 'oil from the constellation of the Bear which we gathered for you.' After emerging from his dream Ruzbehan continues to meditate upon it, but it took him some time, he confesses, to understand that there had been in it an allusion to the seven poles (aqtaab, more generally the seven abdaal) in the heavenly pleroma, and that God had dispensed to him the pure substance of their mystical station, that is to say, had admitted him to the rank of the seven masters of initiation and intercessors who are invisibly apportioned to our world.

...here Ruzbehan [is] being admitted to the number of the seven Abdaal surrounding the Pole."

The book "Arktos The Polar Myth in Science, Symbolism, and Nazi Survival" states the following regarding this particular vision of his :

"This book explains how the great Sufi Ruzbehan of Shirazhad a series of visions referring to the heavenly Pole; and by meditating on these that he was able to understand how he was personally and secretly connected with the group of the masters of initiation symbolized by the stars in the immediate vicinity of the Pole Star."

A great book to read
This is a book written by a true master of this path.We can read this book, but we should be careful not to pretend to understand it more than we are capable of doing so.Ruzbehan speaks of things well beyond our mindand imagination. The "Men of God" travel far and beyond and thentry to tell us of realities not accessible to us. They use"words" to communicate with us of what they "see" andeach one of us can only understand them according to our background andexperiences .Scholars are also in the same boat as the rest of us, thoughthey hide their fundamental ignorance behind fancy"terminology's". A blind can never understand the meaning oflight and the magnificent display of colors, no matter how hard one try toexplain. Light is to be seen. To " know" what Ruzbehan and hislike talk about, one has to become like them. As great Sufis like Ruzbehansay " like can only be recognized and truly understood by like". SO when we read the works of these great men, we have to make sure not toover flatter ourselves thinking that we know what they are talking about,because we don't. While there are many who claim that if you join a Suficlub( with no annual fee) you will be able to understand them and becomelike these great men, be aware that there is no such easy money backguarantee solution. Don't be fooled. We should read these books written by"Men of God" and it maybe that it will awaken something in us. Ifthat happens one will know it, since this knowing is always accompanied bya true and fundamental spiritual transformation as though one has evolvedinto a new species. If anyone out there gets to such a place as Ruzbihandid, then say a prayer for the rest of us. However, If no observabletransformation has occurred within the person, then it is not meant for him/her, but still we should read these books since it is always better thanwatching T.V.

Inspirational insight into the experiences of a true wali
This book is a magnificent document to the awesome mystical experiences of the Divine which one of the greatest walis [saints] in Islam had; it is very inspirational too for all those already members of a Sufi Order orthose wishing to join one. However, a word of caution: I feel that thisbook is not for the beginner--a person must really have a sound grasp ofthe shariah and the Sunnah--and what the Sufi shaykhs have said about theimportance of these two in real sufism--before embarking on this greatbook; otherwise the danger, for Muslim readers, is to fall into heresycaused by misunderstanding of concepts discussed by the Shaykh; fornon-Muslim readers it poses a danger of introducing Islam at too compex alevel, and thereby causing confusion .eg a non-Muslim (or Muslim) notgrounded personally in a traditional understanding of sufism might assumeby this that Islam encourages an anthropomorphic image of God. Tosummarise, it is a wonderfully beautiful work but it is not for everyone.To use a sufi metaphor: the wine in these pages is not meant for theuninitiated!

A translation of a traditional commentary would be useful ifpossible. ... Read more

Product Description
Renowned for his inspiring interpretations of world spiritual traditions, celebrated modern mystic Andrew Harvey teams with photographer Eryk Hanut to create a stunning book of reading drawn from Sufi mysticism.Teaching stories, prophetic sayings, folk tales and jests, and Harvey's breathtaking translations of the ecstatic poetry of Rumi, Kabir, and others make this little book an inspirational and artistic treasure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Some errors, not scholarly
WHile not distracting from the over all substance and gist of the book, there are a few errors here. For example, the poem "Love came and filled me like blood..." is attributed to Rumi, when in fact it was written by Abu-Said Abil-Kheir about 300 years before Rumi. The author's apparent lack of familiarity with the Persian language (Farsi) in which most of the major Sufi poets wrote, is perhaps a slight disadvantage.

Essence of Divine Love
This is a very beautiful book..its worth much more than it costs...splendid collection of sufi wisdom.

A treasure of Sufi wisdom- and a treasure of wisdom
This book contains some of the finest poetry from the literature of sufism; It is an awesome gift to the world; The photographs have somethingthat reminds me of the young Ansel Addams;The best book on sufism i've readin years! ... Read more

Product Description
The aim of sufism is the realization of the Truth, and the sufi is one who moves towards the Truth by means of love and devotion. Since only one who has reached Perfection is capable of realizing the Truth, the sufi strives his utmost to become a "Perfected One".Both inwardly and outwardly, a "Perfected One" is the manifestation of the Divine Attributes. Having become one with the Absolute, such a being is freed from the relativity of "I" and "we". He is a mirror which perfectly reflects God. When one looks upon him, one sees nothing but the Truth. ... Read more

Product Description
This book focuses on the ways in which a particular Islamic brotherhood, or 'tariqa', the tariqa Alawiyya, spread, maintained and propagated their particular brand of the Islamic faith. ... Read more

Product Description
Sufi City: Urban Design and Archetypes in Touba is a geographical study of the modern Muslim holy city of Touba in Senegal, capital of the Mouride Sufi order. Touba was founded in 1887 by a Sufi shaykh in a moment of mystic illumination. Since the death of the founder in 1927, the Mouride order has designed and built the entire city. Touba is named for Tûbâ, the "Tree of Paradise" of Islamic tradition. This archetypal tree articulates Islamic conceptions of righteous life on earth, divine judgment, and access to the Hereafter; the city of Touba actualizes this spiritual construct. Important aspects of its configuration, such as the vertical and horizontal alignment of its monumental central shrine complex, its radiating avenues and encircling ring roads, and the actual trees that mark its landscape relate directly to the archetypal tree of Sufi theosophy. The relationship between the spiritual archetype and its earthly actualization as a city is explained by recourse to Sufi methodology. The book employs a semiotic analysis of urban form, cartography, hermeneutics, field investigation and analysis of satellite imagery in order to relate contemporary urban design issues to overarching metaphysical concepts. Sufi City also explores the history of urban networks in Senegal since the emergence of autonomous Muslim towns in the seventeenth century. Finally, the layout of Senegal's modern Sufi cities is related to the monumental palaver trees that marked that country's historic settlements.Eric S. Ross is a cultural and urban geographer who holds a degree in Islamic Studies. Since 1998 he has been assistant professor of Geography at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. Apart from research on Sufi orders and Muslim towns in Senegal, he has studied cultural tourism and urban planning in Morocco. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Wide Window into Senegal and African Islam
This book represents a major contribution to the literature on Sufism in an African context.It addresses how the Murid movement interacted with modernity, Islam, Sufism and African traditions to create a world-accepting synthesis that finds physical form in the modern city of Touba -- an autonomous part of Senegal.I read this book early on, and I assure all readers that it is worth the investment and that it is one of those rare books that is hard to put down once one starts to read it. ... Read more

Product Description
This book explains the Sufi Order, and the Foundation of Universal Sufism established by Inayat Khan. ... Read more

Product Description
Combining culinary history with over one hundred sumptuous recipes inspired by the teachings of Sufism, Sufi Cuisine takes the reader on a sensuous journey of earthly and spiritual delights. The eating and preparation of food is at the heart of Sufi religious practices and beliefs, and the truly inspiring array of dishes-from preserved rose petals and snow helva, to baklava prepared with water in which oak ashes have been soaked overnight-illustrates this beautifully. Full of charming anecdotes, poetry from the great Sufi mystic, Rumi, and delightful recipes, Sufi Cuisine is a pleasure for the mind and the palate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

eat a whole culture
outstanding, excellent, superb.... this is a wonderland ... you get the recipes and you alsoget the context of whirling dervishes in thefifteenth century ... sort of knit yourself your very own serail ... out of this world ... an absolute marvel

Mysticism in Poetry?You bet!, says Superchefblog
Can you imagine a cookbook whose every chapter starts with a poem by the greatest Sufi mystic poet Rumi -- and is actually about Food?Read more on Superchefblog at http://superchefbloggered.blogspot.com/2006/02/sufi-cuisine-nevin-halici.html. ... Read more

Product Description
Over the centuries, religion has inspired some of civilization's most beautiful poetry, and certain Persian Muslims, the Sufi, have created intricatelywrought poems celebrating peace and harmony.The worldis a beautiful garden of mystery when viewed through theeyes of the Sufi.Each poem, most from the 1200's, isclearly and fully explained in its historical, religious,political and spiritual context.Written to propagatetranquility and harmony through a better understandingof an important religion and its impact on literature, Garden of the Sufi is a lavishly thorough explorationof Sufi poetry and philosophy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Exceptional job
Excellent work of insight. I wish, that I could find more work from this author?

Insights into the nature of man was insightful
Insights into the nature of man was insightful as far as insights into the nature of man is concerned.

most helpful book to help me understand the secrets of life
this book is a real jewel,of information and inspiration. this book holds the keys to the secrets of tthe planted. this is a great orriginal work by a great mystic.

An amazing mix of spiritual and self-improving poetry.
The Graden of the Sufi is a highly enlightening book that gives us a bold new perspective on life as well as insights on how we can achieve self improvement.Through the power of poetry, it gives us an example of whatit means to understand ourselves and how to use our good values to benefitour own lives and our society. ... Read more

Product Description
The fifty-two chapters (not counting five appendices) which make up the main body of this book encompass lectures, articles, and letters/e-mails written over a period of about eleven years (from about 1998 through 2009). The material covers a variety of thematic topics both within Islam, in general, as well as with respect to its mystical dimension of tasawwuf - known in the West as 'the Sufi path' or 'sufism' - in particular. Taken collectively, the chapters and appendices provide a very good introduction to both the Sufi path and Islam. ... Read more

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Bashir Dervish describes his ordinary life: married, three children in good schools, relatively well known in his field, a promising career in the civil service. Then the death of his father-in-law left Dervish with an unexpected inheritance, and the request that he dedicate himself to the "holy search for Truth." Partly out of curiosity about his father-in-law, Dervish took up the challenge. He first assessed the "visible" spiritual groups, found nothing he could take seriously, and turned to an elder statesman for advice. He was eventually sent to Idries Shah, and on a remarkable journey through India, Greece, Yemen and the Gulf. Dervish's riveting account gives us unparalleled insights into who the Sufis really are, what they say and do, and their effect on the modern world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

In this book, the reader is the actual student
B.M Dervish writes a vivid book about the man who was not famous but important in the world of politics, royalty, and philosophy, Idires Shah.Mind you, this is not a book praising the teacher and superficially writing about his great work and deeds he has perfomred throughout the world.This book is about a man studying and practicing the sufi way.Idries Shah is his teacher who guides B.M. Dervish down the right path so that in, in the end of the book, the student is let go to practice on being a teacher in his own right.A book for the person who insterested in the sufi path.This book will help one make his or her own decision whether the sufi way is for them or not.

Are Sufis merely members of a secret cult?

Are they fakes who pretend to know the way to the truth?

Are they men of God truly?Or deceivers of the devil?

Read this book and after you finish reading that one, then read books written directly by the teacher himself, Idries Shah

adventure and insight
simply highly recommended.

a bit longer than AMONG THE DERVISHES, but these two books are essential.

i reread them about every two years.

almost anything by OCTAGON PRESS is worth the time and effort.

One Student's Point of View
The title would perhaps be equally accurate if changed to "Experiences of a Sufi Student" because it is based on the author's travels with Idries Shah during the 1970s. A student's viewpoint is refreshing because certain questions that the reader may have arise more naturally in the context of seeing a fellow seeker encounter new experiences and ask his guide about them. On the other hand, readers may feel they are wading through a lot of hagiographic references to Shah's accomplishments.

The account of the author's visit to a Zavia (dervish monastery) in Yemen includes some truly astonishing events. The subsequent chapter has equally amazing material on Nuristan, but the "wondrous oil" described by the author therein is simple enough to make and test for oneself -- I found it quite beneficial for healing bruises.

Can a book be a journey?
"SLM" is an Arabic "radix" which can be developed into either the word "journey" or "book".It can also mean "clear away clouds".I would say that this SLM tears back the curtains and allows the seeker backstage to watch with Bashir M. Dervish the antics of Idries Shah with their Sufic effects on the world.The only other book similar to it would be AMONG THE DERVISHES by O. M. Burke. Since Idries Shah died in 1996, the urgency for familiarity with this book becomes greater all the time.

An account of the work of a 20th century Sufi teacher.
The author was allowed to travel with the contemporary Sufi teacher Idries Shah, and this book recounts his observations of Shah's interactions with people in many parts of the world, as well as many details of Sufi teaching.Idries Shah died on November 23, 1996, and this book is one of only a few available which offers biographical information ... Read more

Product Description
Anyone in search of Reality, must of necessity encounterSufis on his way, as they are the doorway to Reality. If you wish tostand for an instant on the threshold of this Reality spend an hour inthe company of Abu Sa'id, reflecting on his dicta and exempla . . . sosensitively translated here. (Dr. Leonard Lewisohn, Editor, ClassicalPersian Sufism: from its Origins to Rumi). Abu Sa'id is best known for establishing spiritual centers and rulesof Sufi conduct which are followed to this day by traditional Sufiorders. He also introduced musical elements (sama') and dance into theSufi's ritual. The 100 stories narrated here offer an excellent viewinto the mystical wisdom of Abu Sa'id and insightful commentary on theteaching methodology of one of the most significant figures in thedevelopment of Sufism. (Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, Author of Sufi Expressionsof the Mystic Quest). ... Read more