Professional Documents
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VOLUME 1
Islamic Mysticism
A Short History
By
Alexander Knysh
LEIDEN BOSTON
2000
ISSN 1389-823S
ISBN 978 90 04 10717 5 (Hardback)
ISBN 978 90 04 19462 5 (Paperback)
Copyright 2000 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing,
IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated,
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Fees are subject to change.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ...................................................................... ix
A Note on Transliteration .......................................................... xi
List of Abbreviations .................................................................. xiii
Introduction ..................................................................................
5
5
8
10
13
16
18
26
32
36
36
39
43
43
48
52
56
60
68
83
vi
contents
Ibn Karrm and the Karrmiyya ........................................
The Path of Blame ................................................................
Why Sufism? Some Observations Regarding Sufisms
Ascendancy During Islams Golden Age ..........................
88
94
99
125
128
130
132
135
140
150
152
156
161
163
169
179
179
192
207
218
234
239
116
118
121
123
245
245
251
264
contents
vii
280
286
289
294
301
301
303
309
311
326
328
334
351
354
314
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my profound gratitude to the following contributors to the Encyclopaedia of Islam for granting me permission to
use their articles on various aspects of Sufism:
H. Algar, Nashband, Nashbandiyya, Ni'matallhiyya
C. E. Bosworth, Karrmiyya
G. Bwering, Sahl al-Tustar and al-Sulam
J. During, Sam'
A. Hartmann, al-Suhraward, Shihb al-Dn
P. M. Holt, al-Mahdiyya
J. O. Hunwick, Kunta and Taawwuf in Africa
C. H. Imber, al-Malmatiyya
F. de Jong, Khalwatiyya
A. H. Johns, Shams al-Dn al-Samatr"
H. Landolt, Khalwa
B. Lawrence, Makhdm al-Mulk Manr
I. M. Lewis, Muammad b. 'Abdallh assn
P. Lory, al-Shdhil and al-Shdhiliyya
Y. Marquet, al-Tirmidh al-akm
R. S. OFahey, ara in northeastern and eastern Africa
B. Reinert, Sar al-Saa
F. Sobieroj, al-Suhraward , Abu l-Nab, al-Shibl, alSuhrawardiyya
W. M. Watt, al-Ghazl
Th. Zarcone, ara in the Turkish lands
I bear full responsibility for any mistakes that may have crept into
this volume. I owe a special debt to my wife Anya, who spared neither time nor eort seeing this book through. Finally, I dedicate this
book to my parents, Dmitri Knysh and Alexandra Knysh, in gratitude for their love and kindness.
A NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
EI
BEO
JAOS
JRAS
MIDEO
StI
ZDMG