The Sufis

Description

The Sufis, a modern classic that has been translated into over two dozen languages, has attracted the praise of such famous authors as Robert Graves, Ted Hughes, J.D. Salinger, and Doris Lessing. Idries Shah’s The Sufis is the most authoritative book about Sufism ever produced for a modern audience.

This definitive work explores an immemorial wisdom tradition best-known for its co ections with Islam, but which both predates and goes beyond it. Sufis espouse a mystical teaching and way of life that have had an immeasurable, though little-known, impact on East and West for thousands of years. Core to this “practical philosophy” is the cultivation of intuition and experience as a guide to life—rather than overreliance upon logic and the intellect.

Its members believe that theirs is the secret tradition behind all religious and philosophical systems. Shah’s remarkable book includes accounts of the lives and work of the best-known Sufi masters, encompassing many of the world’s greatest thinkers, including the Eastern luminaries: Jalaluddin Rumi, Omar Khayyam, Ibn Arabi, Al-Ghazzali, Saadi Shirazi, and Farid Al-Din Attar. Many of the greatest traditions, ideas and discoveries of the West are co ected to the teachings and writings of Sufi savants working centuries ago.

The astonishing impact of Sufism on the development of Western civilization, especially from the seventh century onwards, is traced through the work of Roger Bacon, St. John of the Cross, Raymond Lully, The Templars, Rosicrucians, Chaucer, Sir Richard Francis Burton, and others. But more than a history, The Sufis is a dynamic book of instruction for modern times, reflecting the idea that living Sufism is never a static artefact of the past, but adapts to the current time, place and people.

Author Idries Shah Author Info Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition and is considered one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century. He devoted his life to collecting, translating and adapting key works of Sufi classical literature for the needs of the contemporary West. These works represent centuries of thought – some call it “practical philosophy” – aimed at developing human potential.

Shah’s literary output – more than three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and cultural studies – includes uniquely instrumental teaching stories, some of which he retold for children. His work is regarded as forming an important bridge between the cultures of East and West. It has been translated into dozens of languages and has sold millions of copies around the world.

In his writings for adults, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predates Islam. Emphasizing that Sufism is not static but always adapts to the current time, place and people, he often framed his teaching in Western psychological terms. For more than 40 years, Shah sifted through oriental literature and oral Sufi tradition to bring his contemporary audience narratives, poetry, aphorisms and an enormous range of teaching stories that are appropriate for our time and culture.

He pointed out that this work “co ects with a part of the individual which ca ot be reached by any other convention, and … establishes in him or in her a means of communication with a non-verbalized truth beyond the customary limitations of our familiar dimensions.” ISBN-13 978-1784790035 Publisher ISF Publishing Publication Date June 14, 2018 Binding Paperback Condition New Page Count 508 Pages