Essential Sufism (Essential Series) - Hardcover

Frager, Robert; Fadiman, James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062514741 ISBN 13: 9780062514745

Publisher: HarperOne, 1997

Synopsis

ESSENTIAL SUFISM

'Essential Sufism' is the first broad-ranging, accessible exploration of the treasures produced by a faith that has touched a dozen cultures and endured for over fifteen hundred years. Presenting more than three hundred beautiful

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: HarperOne
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0062514741
• ISBN 13: 9780062514745
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288