Sufi Texts Research Articles

The Values of Islamic Education Based on Sufism in the Manaqib Tradition

Purpose of the Study: 1) describe how the manaqiban tradition influences the development of Islamic Education through Sufi values; (2) explore the impact of Sufi culture in the manaqiban tradition on the surrounding community; (3) analyze the Sufi values that support the development of Islamic Religious Education; and (4) examine how Sufi values manifest in students' daily lives. Methodology: This qualitative research uses an exploratory approach, with data collected through documentation, observation, and interviews, followed by descriptive analysis. Main Findings: First, the regular practice of the manaqiban tradition positively influences Islamic Education; second, the Sufi culture embedded in the tradition helps prevent radicalism, encourages social solidarity, and promotes tolerance within the community; third, the implementation of Sufi values in Islamic Education development occurs through studying Sufi texts, mentoring by ustadz and administrators, and engaging in religious; and fourth, the Sufi values adopted by students include repentance (taubat), fear (khauf), hope (raja`), asceticism (zuhud), poverty (fakir), patience (sabar), and contentment (ridha). Novelty/Originality of this study: Its focus is on the influence of traditional Sufi practices, like the manaqiban, on the contemporary development of Islamic education, providing insights into how these values can contribute to addressing modern issues such as radicalism and materialism. This study contributes to the broader understanding of how traditional religious practices and values can be integrated into modern educational contexts, emphasizing the need for a more holistic approach to Islamic education that fosters both spiritual and moral development in the face of globalization.

Revealing Annemarie Schimmel's Interpretation of The Sufi Texts Through Gadamer's Philosophical Hermeneutic Analysis

This study presents common problems of Sufi texts’ interpretation by orientalists, with a specific emphasis on the Annemarie Schimmel’s works. The primary purpose of this study is to uncover biases and limitations that may reside in Schimmel's approach to Sufism and to pave the way for a more reflective and contextual approach in Islamic studies. This work employs a philosophical hermeneutic approach developed by Hans-Georg Gadamer. The primary data source comes from Schimmel's works on Sufism, while secondary data are obtained from academic literature related to hermeneutics, Orientalism, and the study of Sufism. The results of the study show that Schimmel's understanding of Sufi texts is influenced by her prejudices and understandings as an orientalist. Schimmel's "casting fusion" process produces a rich interpretation but is not free from inherent bias. In conclusion, this study has revealed essential dimensions in the hermeneutics of Sufi texts studied by Schimmel and the emphasis on the need for more critical and reflective cross-cultural dialogue to understand the Islamic spiritual tradition more deeply.

Deconstruction of basic accounting principles through the values of sufism in the Syarah Ḥikam by Sheikh Aḥmad Zarrūq

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to deconstruct the basic principles of accounting, which are often viewed as overly materialistic, by integrating seven Sufi values from the Syarah Ḥikam by Sheikh Aḥmad Zarrūq. This research seeks to create a more balanced accounting paradigm integrating financial gains with moral, social, and spiritual responsibilities.Method - This research utilizes a literature review method with a Derridean deconstruction approach, combining the text of Syarah Ḥikam with accounting literature. The deconstruction process involves identifying the material-spiritual binary to explore the integration of Sufi values into accounting principles.Result - The study's results show that integrating Sufi values strengthens the moral and justice aspects of accounting. This creates a more holistic approach that balances financial profit with spiritual and social responsibilities.Implication - This research has implications for the development of a more ethical and sustainable accounting system that balances material gain with moral and spiritual responsibilities relevant to both business and social practices.Originality - This study is unique in its use of classical Sufi texts to deconstruct the basic accounting principles. This novel approach in modern accounting studies has yet to be widely explored. By integrating spiritual values into accounting, this approach is expected to complement and enrich the current accounting perspectives, aiming not merely for fairness but for truth, fostering a better balance between material aspects and moral, social, and spiritual responsibilities.

Sorcery or Science? Contested Knowledge and Practice in West African Sufi Texts, by Ariela Marcus Sells

Sorcery or Science? Contested Knowledge and Practice in West African Sufi Texts, by Ariela Marcus Sells

Hermeneutics and Sufi Texts: A Literary Analysis of the Sufi Poetry in The Dīwān of ‛Umar Ibn al-Fāriḍ (576-632 AH/ 1181-1235 AD)

Hermeneutics and Sufi Texts: A Literary Analysis of the Sufi Poetry in The Dīwān of ‛Umar Ibn al-Fāriḍ (576-632 AH/ 1181-1235 AD)

Literary and Sufi Analysis of Ibn al-Fāriḍ’s Poem “al-Tā’iyyat al-kubrā”: A Philosophical Educational Approach

The present paper offers a new approach to the poetry of the Egyptian Sufi poet ‛Umar Ibn al-Fāriḍ (576-632AH/ 1181-1235AD). This approach is based on the text of Ibn al- Fāriḍ’s Great Sufi Poem, al-Tā’iyyat al-kubrā, in which the poet expresses in full his spiritual experience. First, the basic hermeneutical question is discussed, e.g., what is the way of approaching a literary text in order to understand the experience of the poet? Also, it deals with a Sufi text, its context and the relationship between text and experience. To what extent does the author express his inner world verbally? In the end, there is a distance between the interior experience of a Sufi and his verbal expression. Eventually, this method is applied to the poetry of Ibn al-Fāriḍ. He describes his Sufi experience as a journey through three steps: from separation (farq) to unity (ittiḥād) to universal union (ǧam‛). On such a partition, ten basic units are highlighted, forming the structure of his Sufi poem.

THE MEANING OF DEATH IN A PSYCHOSOPHYSTIC PERSPECTIVE

The study employs a dual approach, combining psychological analysis with Sufi teachings to comprehend the multifaceted nature of death. Methodologically, it synthesizes insights from psychological theories on emotional detachment and the human perception of mortality. This is juxtaposed with the Sufi perspective, derived from extensive literature, teachings, and interpretations of Sufi scholars and texts. The psychological aspect delves into the notion of psychological death, exploring how individuals, while physically alive, can experience emotional numbness, disconnect, and insensitivity to their surroundings. This exploration incorporates established psychological frameworks and case studies that illustrate these states. Simultaneously, the Sufistic approach interprets death as an inevitable certainty, emphasizing the spiritual separation between the body and the eternal soul. This perspective draws upon Sufi texts, traditions, and philosophies that emphasize the eternal nature of the soul and the transformative aspect of death. The study synthesizes these perspectives, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of death. It examines how the psychological and Sufi viewpoints converge and diverge, shedding light on the multifaceted meanings and implications of death within the human experience. Through this methodological fusion, the study endeavors to offer a nuanced perspective on death that encompasses both psychological and spiritual dimensions.

Editorial Note

This issue of the American Journal of Islam and Society comprises four main research articles, each shedding light on the diverse ways in which the Islamic legal and theological tradition has shaped and intersected with premodern and modern societies. To start closer to home: Sam Houston’s contribution entitled “The “Metaphysical Monster” and Muslim Theology: William James, Sherman Jackson, and the Problem of Black Suffering” places American Muslim scholar Sherman A. Jackson’s important monograph Islam and the Problem of Black Suffering in conversation with the work of American pragmatist philosopher William James and suggests that Jackson’s account parallels James’s account of religion in that it speaks of the “practical effectiveness” of the “web of beliefs” constituting Islamic doctrines of God. Our next article explores the practical engagement of the official ulama as spokespersons of the Islamic legal and theological traditionin a different field: post-2011 Egypt. In his article entitled, “Ideals and Interests in Intellectuals’ Political Deliberations: The Arab Spring and the Divergent Paths of Egypt’s Shaykh al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayyib and Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa,” Muhammad Amasha calls into question the commonplace generalizations about the ulama as being either pro-revolution or pro-regime by examining the politics of two prominent members of the pro-establishment ulama class. Syamsuddin Arif in his “Rethinking the Concept of Fiṭra: Natural Disposition, Reason and Conscience,” turns our attention to an understudied dimension of Islamic psychology: the role of innate human nature, or fiṭra, in the motivation behind human action. Drawing on recent Western as well as Islamicate scholarship, it attends to the biological, epistemological, and ethical dimensions of this Qur’anic concept, suggesting that it be treated not only as the natural tendency for humans to act or think in a particular way, but specifically as the religious, ethical, and rational instinct. Finally, Fateh Saeidi’s “The Early Sufi Tradition in Hamadān, Nahāwand, and Abhar: Stories of Devotion, Mystical Experiences, andSufi Texts” explores the history of the development of early Sufism in Hamadān, Nahāwand, and Abhar through an analysis of three significant but understudied early Sufi texts: Karāmāt Sheikh abī ʻalī al-Qūmsānī by Ibn Zīrak al-Nahāwandī (d. 471/1078), Ādāb al-fuqarāʼ by Bābā Jaʻfar al-Abharī (d. 428/1036), and Rawḍat al-murīdīn by Ibn Yazdānyār

The Early Sufi Tradition in Hamadān, Nahāwand, and Abhar

Research on the early Sufis of Hamadān, Nahāwand, and Abhar holds immense significance in comprehending the development of Sufism in the Jibāl region. This article provides an in-depth exploration of the initial stages of Sufism’s formation, focusing on the analysis of significant early Sufi texts. Specifically, the study investigates the treatises Karāmāt Sheikh abī ʻalī al-Qūmsānī, Ādāb al-fuqarāʼ, and Rawḍat al-murīdīn, authored by Ibn Zīrak al-Nahāwandī (d. 471/1078), Bābā Jaʻfar al-Abharī (d. 428/1036), and Ibn Yazdānyār al-Hamadānī (d. 472/1079), respectively. Despite their profound significance, the role of these texts in shaping Sufism within the Islamic world has received limited attention in Sufi studies. Consequently, this study contributes valuable insights into the development of Iraqi-based Sufism in Hamadān and its neighboring centers, spanning from the third/ninth century to the fifth/eleventh century. Notably, some Sufis in this region were disciples of Abū ʻAlī al-Nahāwandī al-Qūmsānī (d. 387/997), playing a pivotal role in the institutionalization of Sufism through the establishment of khāneqāhs in the area.

Hictorical Of Sufism In Recent Centuries

The emergence of research examining Islamic mysticism or Sufism in recent centuries, reaching its peak in the 20th century, indicates significant development of Sufism outside the Islamic world. This is evidenced by the presence of Muslim communities in the West who adhere to Sufi teachings. The aim of this article is to explore the development of Sufism in the West, focusing on two aspects: (1) Examining the theories and early studies on the introduction of Sufism to the West since the 17th century; (2) Investigating the models and patterns of Sufism that have emerged in the West, especially in the 20th century. This research employs a qualitative approach with methods of historical and philosophical analysis. The research findings include: (1) Western studies on Sufism began as early as the 17th century and reached their peak in the 19th/20th century, marked by numerous translations of Sufi texts. (2) In the 20th century, several models or patterns of understanding Sufism emerged in the Western world, namely hybrid, perennial, and transplant Sufism.

A Manuscript about Sufi Sheikh Miracles from R. Fakhretdinov's Archive in the Collection of the IOM, RAS

Rizaeddin Fakhretdinov (18591936) is one of the most prominent figures among Muslim scholars at the turn of the 1920th cc. whose sphere of scientific interests was biographies. Among the materials of R. Fakhretdinov on the preparation of his famous work Asar there are texts related to Sufism, and of particular interest are descriptions of the miracles performed by Muslim righteous men. One of the documents about the miraculous deeds of a righteous man named Abd al-Latif b. Subhankul b. Ramkul under the title (Fī bayān manāqib al-'imām al-shaiḫ al-kāmil) Explanation of the virtues of al-Imam al-Sheikh al-Kamil (the Imam, the Sheikh who should be followed) is stored in the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts in the archive of R. Fakhretdinov (Fund 131, Inventory 1). The stories in many ways resemble or even coincide with similar Sufi texts from other Muslim countries. This is a sign of cultural and ideological interaction between brotherhoods, as well as transmission of the perfect image of Sufi righteous men. In addition, miracles and their number enhanced the importance of a sheikh mentor in the eyes of his followers and made his authority undeniable. It is worth mentioning that the text is written in a good Arabic literary language, which testifies to a high education level of the author. The present article contains a short biography of Rizaeddin Fakhretdinov, facsimile publication of the text and its translation into English.

Deconstructing and going far beyond the binary oppositions in Sufi texts (data from Persian prose books)

Deconstructing and going far beyond the binary oppositions in Sufi texts (data from Persian prose books)

Representation of dreams in medieval Sufi texts: A qualitative study.

Representation of dreams in medieval Sufi texts: A qualitative study.

Man-like woman and the menstruating man

There are a number of oblique references in Sufi literature to pious women whose austerities resulted in the loss of their menstrual cycle, as well as pious men who ascribed to themselves a type of metaphorical menstruation as a method of self-disparagement. This article analyzes such references in relation to dominant medieval Sufi discourses of purity and piety, in order to investigate the gendered rhetoric and presuppositions that underlie explicit and implicit allusions to menstruation in Sufi texts. In isolating and analyzing allusions to menstruation, four categories of reference emerge: depersonalization of menstrual blood, metaphorical male menstruation, masculinization of pious women, and reification of amenorrheic women. These narrative strategies, although applied inconsistently, all contribute to an overall deliberate effort by male authors to justify the inclusion of female bodies in male-dominated discursive spaces, while ultimately perpetuating hegemonic theologies of sacred masculinity. Through examining these inconsistent applications of gender in male-authored Sufi writings, this analysis identifies new avenues for revisiting medieval Islamicate notions of gendered identity in society in ways that dismantle ahistorical binary models of gender that have often skewed readings of Sufi and medieval Muslim sources.

Prof. Elif Erhan: "Universities in Japan show interest in Sufi texts of the Seljuk and Ottoman periods."

Üsküdar University Institute for Sufi Studies met with Japan in a joint project.

Beyond the “wonders of India” (‘ajā’ib al-hind): Yogis in Persian medico-alchemical writings in South Asia

AbstractThis article looks at the translation and circulation of yogis’ learning in Persian medical and alchemical texts produced in South Asia. I suggest that looking at the non-religious environment allows for a more accurate understanding of the overall circulation of yogic knowledge and techniques in the Muslim society of South Asia. Furthermore, I suggest that the assimilation of yogis’ learning in Persian sources concerned not only Yoga but also other types of knowledge associated with yogis. Muslim physicians’ interest in yogis’ knowledge focused on one specific aspect: rasaśāstra “alchemy” and the mastery over the production of mercurial and metallic drugs. The technical and pragmatic focus of Persian medico-alchemical writings contributed to give views of yogis beyond the exotic and foreignizing category of the wonders of India. Medical writings helped to develop views of yogis as a socio-economic group involved in the transmission of a specific body of knowledge. This was an important shift away from the perspective of the ‘ajā’ib al-hind “wonders of India” as well as from the ways in which yogis were perceived in Sufi texts. New perspectives on yogis emerged when Persian-speaking scholars and readers in India needed more pragmatic representations of local groups, such as the physicians who were in the process of appropriating alchemical notions that were closely associated with the yogis.

ÂŞIK PAŞA’NIN GARÎB-NÂME ADLI ESERİNDE GEMİNİN FAALİYET VE İSTİKAMETİ İÇİN GEREKLİ SEKİZ UNSUR

In Turkish literature, in addition to the works that deal specifically with the sea and the ship, we also see that more comprehensive works dealing with different subjects devote certain parts of them to the issues related to the sea and the ship. Garîb-nâme is one of the works that addresses this subject from a sufistic/mystical point of view in one of its chapters. Completed in 1330 by Âşık Paşa, one of the 14th century Ottoman scholars, poets and sufis, Garîb-nâme is a mesnevi of more than 10,000 couplets. It is an exceptional work in terms of content and form and has a distinguished place in Turkish literature in terms of the richness of the subjects it handles. In each chapter of the book, which is organized in 10 chapters, 10 stories are told about each of the chapter numbers and the issues related to that number are addressed. The 10th story of the eighth chapter of Garib-nâme concerns eight elements necessary for a ship to sail safely. In the work, each of these elements, which are listed as “deniz/su” sea/water, “gemi (geminin gövdesi)” ship (ship's hull), “yelken” sail, “yel” wind, “lenger” anchor, “üstâd/gemici/keştîbân” master/sailor/captain, “âdemi/halk (yolcu)” mankind/people (passengers) and “metâ‘ (mal)/kâle (kumaş)” commodity/cloth, is explained in detail by returning to the beginning four times and adding new layers of meaning to the subject each time. Âşık Paşa first focuses on the apparent/overt meanings of these elements, which we find important in terms of shipping history, and then refers to the esoteric/covert/mystical equivalents of each of these elements. In his discussion, he draws on the verse “Do you not see that Allah Almighty has put at your service all the inhabitants of the earth and the ships that glide in the sea in accordance with His command..." (Quran 65:22) and uses a didactic style.
 This article consists of a total of four sections with an introduction and a conclusion. In the introduction section, a brief review has been made about the Turkish maritime history and the issues related to the sea and the ship in Turkish literature. In the first chapter of the article, its author Âşık Paşa and his work are briefly introduced in order to determine what kind of place Garîb-nâme occupies in this field. In the second section, the eight elements necessary for the ship, which is the tenth story of the eighth chapter of the work, have been tried to be explained in the sub-headings together with their apparent and mystical meanings, based on the words of Âşık Paşa. In the conclusion section, a general evaluation is made on the basis of the information obtained as a result of this study. The aim of this study is to reveal the shipping elements used in Garib-nâme in detail, thus contributing to the maritime history by drawing attention to the reflections of the elements related to the ship on literary and sufi texts as well as on our cultural life.

The Evolution of Chinese Muslim’s Classical Learning and Schools in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Around the middle of the Ming Dynasty, with the Chinese language becoming the mother tongue of Muslims in mainland China, the religious education of Chinese Muslims faced a dilemma. Meanwhile, a rejuvenated educational system was established by Hu Dengzhou (胡登洲) in Shaanxi during the Wanli (萬歷) period. This system, which was called Jingtang education (經堂教育) after a long time, has epoch-making significance in the history of Chinese Islamic thought. Through Hu Dengzhou’s disciples, this educational system gradually spread to North China and Jiangnan, where Shandong School and Jinling School were formed. Sufism played an important role in the two early schools’ teaching arrangements and academic activities. In the middle and late Qing periods, Shaanxi School and Yunnan School emerged one after another. Scholars of these two schools paid more attention to rational sciences represented by philosophical theology and attempted to use theological theories to explain Sufi texts. Overall, the establishment of Jingtang education was not only an urgent requirement for Muslims in mainland China to explain Islamic classics in Chinese, but also a fruitful attempt to replace official schools with private schools. The early Shandong School and Jinling School attached great importance to Sufism for two reasons: (1) Sufism became a prominent study after the 12th century, and most of the teachers of early Jingtang education had a close relationship with the Sufis. (2) These scholars live in a Chinese cultural background with Neo-Confucianism as the mainstream, and there are many commonalities between Sufism and Confucianism, which helps Muslim scholars to use Confucian terms to explain Islamic teaching. In the later period, Shaanxi School and Yunnan School turned to pay more attention to philosophical theology for two reasons: (1) In order to deal with the emergence and ideological differences of Chinese Islamic sects in the mid-Qing era. (2) This change was not unrelated to the influence of the Shixue (實學) thought trends in China, especially the Qianjia School.

The thematic system in the construction of Arabic Sufism communities and Islamic identity

This research aims to investigate the thematic system (theme and rheme) of Arabic texts, especially Arabic Sufi texts related to al-Hikam aphorisms. Thematic structure is defined as the set of options relating to ‘information structure’, the linguistic representation of extralinguistic experience and how a Sufi constructs an information structure in al-Hikam aphorisms. In this case, the extralinguistic experience is focused on the Arabic Sufi communities (Tarekat Syadziliyah community). The first problem of this research, about thematic system in al-Hikam aphorism related to Arabic Sufi communities and Islamic identities, is elaborated comprehensively. The elaboration process can be classified into a number of thematic systems such as (1) unmarked topical, (2) marked topical, (3) interpersonal and (4) textual. The thematic analysis becomes the base foundation to elaborate the construction of Arabic Sufi communities and Islamic identities. A thematic model shows how language users in Arabic Sufi communities encode language from their mental picture of reality. By capturing the al-Hikam aphorism through the thematic system, it can be concluded that communication is pivotal in making Islamic Sufi identities.Contribution: Contextually, this research contributes to the study of cross-language and cross-culture. Language as a reflection of a certain culture can be seen both in terms of the product and the translation process.

Introduction: Sufi Texts in Translation

Abstract This special issue of the Journal of Sufi Studies attempts to make the case that the act of translation is best seen as a recurrent activity necessitated by the various changes that inform the interpretation of Sufi texts on the one hand, and the languages and cultures that receive them on the other. The nine Sufi texts featured in this collection illustrate the diversity of genres and variety of languages in which they have been written, thereby pointing up the distinctive hermeneutic potentials of translation theory and practice when these texts are rendered by experts into modern European languages, particularly English and French.