Essential Sufism - Hardcover

Frager, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0785809066 ISBN 13: 9780785809067

Publisher: Book Sales, 1998

Synopsis

Presenting more than three hundred beautiful and inspirational works from all eras of Sufism, from thousand-year-old prayers to contemporary Sufi poetry, this beautiful collection embraces the full diversity of a rich tradition and reveals the heart of Islamic mysticism.

About this title

Review:

Sufis are celebrated in the West for their joy, humor, and devoted worship. Two students of Sufism, James Fadiman and Robert Frager, have collected some of the jewels of Sufic literature, polished them up a bit, and organized them for ready contemplation. Rumi's poems, Attar's stories, Mohammed's terse sayings, and even some moving pieces from contemporary Western devotees make Essential Sufism a treasury of Sufic literature. The extensive introduction provides practical context, and preambles to each section set the tone for what's to come. If you haven't encountered the wisdom of Sufi mysticism, the material in this book is a good place to start; if you have, it's a comfortable place for return.

From the Inside Flap:

"The Sufis are the mystics of Islam. Every upright Muslim expects to see God after death, but the Sufis are the impatient ones. They want God now--moment by moment, day by day, in this very life. And they are willing to undergo the disciplines that make that possible. This book presents selections from a multitude of saints and sages whose hearts were opened through the Sufi path." (Huston Smith, from the Foreword)

Written by Sufi prophets, saints, and teachers, these luminous stories, fables, and aphorisms help us to see the love and generosity of God in all of creation, and to experience the love for all things that embodies the Sufi's relationship with God. Voicing a passionate faith that aims to soften hearts hardened by daily life and open them to love, the Sufi tradition as illustrated in these pages teaches us to seek the Divine while remaining engaged in the world, to find our opportunities for spiritual growth, awareness, and generosity, and to realize that there is nothing in this world or the next that is not both loved and loving.

About this edition

• Publisher: Book Sales
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0785809066
• ISBN 13: 9780785809067
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 265
• Editor: Fadiman James