Entries by simar
Storytelling as Philosophical Pedagogy:The Case of Suhrawardī – Mohammed Rustom
Abstract: “Amongt the writings of Shihābal-Dīn Suhrawardī(d.587/1191),the founder of the School of Illumination and a key figure in post-Avicennan Islamic philosophy, are a series of visionary tales. In the context of each of these narratives, Suhrawardī employs numerous symbolic images in order to convey several key ideas that punctuate his philosophy. Given their concrete language, […]
On Listening: Hearing God’s Voice in the Face of Suffering – Mohammed Rustom
Abstract “Nearly a decade ago, I delivered a lecture which was part of a monthly philosophy colloquium series hosted by the philosophy department at my University. Unlike most of if not every other paper delivered in the series, my topic had to do with a non-European philosophical tradition—Islamic philosophy. The title of the lecture was […]
The Ocean of Nonexistence – Mohammed Rustom
Abstract: In this article, I would like to offer some remarks on what Rumi has to say about love. What, in other words, is it? From his perspective,inquiring into the nature of love can only give one partial answers,since the very inquiry into what love is entails a partial question. The easiest way for Rumi […]
Everything Muhammad: The Image of the Prophet in the Writings of ‘Ayn al-Qudat – Mohammed Rustom
Abstract: It is well-known that Rumi (d. 1273) was a great lover of the Prophet Muhammad. This is best typified in such verses as the ones with which the present article begins. Given our knowledge of the devotion to the Prophet that we find in Rumi’s writings and in the works of many other Sufi […]
The End of Islamic Philosophy – Mohammed Rustom
Abstract: Islamic traditional teachings are couched in a language which is not easily understood by many contemporary men, especially those with a modern education. The old treatises were usually written in a syllogistic language which is no longer prevalent today. What must be done is to disengage the content of Islamic philosophy from the language […]
Ayn al-Quḍāt between Divine Jealousy and Political Intrigue – Mohammed Rustom
Abstract: Modern scholars have been interested in the great Persian Sufi martyr ʿAyn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (d. 525/1131) for over six decades. Despite this fact, many aspects of his life and thought still remain terra incognita. Our knowledge of the circumstances surrounding his death is a case-in-point. Although we have a fairly good understanding ofthe factors […]
The Mosque The Heart of Submission – Rusmir Mahmutćehajić
Abstract: This is a remarkable little book. As I read it through I was astonishedat Dr. Mahmutc´ehajic´’s ability to reformulate classical positions ofMuslim thinkers and spiritual teachers in fresh and original ways. Despitehis use of a nondenominational language, he is completely inline with the Islamic intellectual tradition founded by the Qur’an andthe Prophet and echoed […]
Shushtarī’s Treatise on the Limits of Theology and Sufism: Discursive Knowledge (ʿilm), Direct Recognition (maʿrifa), and Mystical Realization (taḥqīq) in al-Risāla al-Quṣāriyya الرسالة القصارية لأبي الحسن الششتري – Yousef Casewit
Abstract: Abū l-Ḥasan al-Shushtarī’s (d. 668/1269) heretofore unedited and unstudied treatise, “On the Limits [of Theology and Sufism]” (R. al-Quṣāriyya) is a succinct account of the celebrated Andalusī Sufi poet’s understanding of the relationship between discursive knowledge (ʿilm) of the rational Ashʿarite theologians, direct and unitive recognition (maʿrifa) of the Sufis, and verified knowledge (taḥqīq) […]
Sufism, Scripture and Scholarship: From Graham to Guénon and Beyond By Atif Khalil and Shiraz Sheikh
Abstract: The origins of the academic study of Sufism in Western scholarshipmay be retraced to the second half of the 18th century, with the firstindependent work on the subject appearing in 1819 by Lt. James W.Graham (d. 1845), an officer working on the staff of Sir John Malcolm (d.1833), a scholar-general in the British colonial […]