In recent years, quite a few books on Islamic mysticism have been published, one of the most comprehensive ones being "Mystical Dimensions of Islam" by Annemarie Schimmel, as well as short introductions to certain aspects of mysticism and translations of works written by Muslim mystics. Mysticism is often treated as a phenomenon separate from Islam, not only as an "additional dimension" but as a "special development based on Persian, Christian or Indian influences" or even as an "alternative for the legalistic religion of the scholars", thus confusing "mystical" with "mysterious". In fact, inter-religious co-existence did cause challenges and mutual influences, and sometimes syncretistic mixtures came into being that might be interesting for scholars of comparative religion. However, the following chapters will deal with mysticism according to the self-understanding of the great Sufi masters that is an essential component of Islamic religion.
Seen from this angle, there is nothing mysterious about Islamic mysticism. The languages of the Muslim world have words like Tasawwuf, an arabicized form of the Greek word Theosophia, Love of God, or 'Irfân, immediate experience of what is beyond the grasp of the external senses on the way to God. We differentiate between a theoretical aspect, mystical philosophy that weaves spiritual experiences and philosophical conclusions into an overall vision of wisdom as demonstrated e.g. by Ibn al-'Arabi, and a practice-oriented path of self-education that prepares for spiritual experiences and helps dealing with them. All this is rooted in the message of Qur'an and Sunnah and is investigated and developed with scientific precision, knowledge being a central value here as in other fields within Islam.
Thus, the great Indian mystic Nizâmuddîn Awliyâ said, "The master must be familiar with the laws of Sharî'a (the ethico-legal system), Tarîqa (the individual path of spiritual development) and Haqîqa (the encounter with al-Haqq, the final Reality). Where this is the case, he will never ask anyone to do something that is illegal or immoral."
Yahya bin Mu'âdh expressed a similar idea even stronger: "The company of three kinds of people should be avoided: the careless scholar, the insincere poor, and the ignorant sufi."
Al-Hujwîri differentiates between a Sûfi who has purified himself inwardly and achieved realization and love; a Mutasawwif, who is aspiring to that goal, struggling along the path; and a Mustaswif who pretends to do so for the sake of making a certain impression or achieving matierial or social advantages. In the first chapter of his book "Kashf al-Mahjûb" he emphasizes the necessity of acquiring useful knowledge in connection with the Islamic injunction that declares the search for knowledge a religious duty for every Muslim, man and woman.
In the following chapters we will discuss Islamic mysticism as grown on the foundation of Qur'an and Sunnah and as an integral part of the whole structure of Islam. This cannot be more than mere theory. Practice is a lifelong task.
Annemarie Schimmel: Mystical Dimensions of Islam
" " Ich bin Wind und du bist Feuer
" " Liebe zu dem Einen
" " Gärten der Erkenntnis
Jallaluddin Rumi: Von Allem und vom Einen (Fihi ma fihi)
William Stoddart: Das Sufitum. Geistige Lehre und mystischer Weg
Martin Lings: Was ist Sufitum?
Rudolf Jockel: Islamische Geisteswelt
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Islamic Life And Thought
Al-Hujwiri: Kashf al-Mahjub. The Oldest Persian Treatise on Sufism
Abu Bakr al-Kallabadhi: The Doctrine of the Sufis
Shahabuddin Suhrawardi: 'Awarif al-Ma'arif (engl., germ.)
Abdul Qadir Jilani: Futuh al-Ghayb (germ.)
Sidi Ali al-Jamal: The Meaning of Man
Ibn al-'Arabi: Fusus al-Hikam (engl., germ.)
" " Die Reise zum Herrn der Macht
Fariduddin al-Attar: Tadhkirat al-Awliya (engl.)
" " Mantiq at-Tayr (engl., germ.)
Al-Ghazali: Das Elixier der Glückseligkeit
" Ihya 'Ulum ad-Din (engl.)
Shaykh F. Haeri: The Journey of the Self
Gerhard Böwering: The Mystical Vision of Existence in Classical Islam
Margaret Smith: Rabi'a the Mystic
Muhd. A.H. Ansari: Sufism and Shari'a
Shah Waliullah: The Sacred Knowledge
Bruce B. Lawrence: Notes from a Distant Flute
Helmut Ritter: Das Meer der Seele
Josef van Ess: Die Gedankenwelt des Harith al-Muhasibi
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