Sufism represents the mystical  and spiritual tradition of Islam. New handbook outlines the doctrine, history and modern controversies. Must-read for all, who think that Islam is not many-facetted.

The Cambridge Companion to Sufism
Part of Cambridge Companions to Religion
Ed. by Lloyd Ridgeon
Cambridge University Press 2015
ISBN: 9781107679504

Sufism, the mystical or aesthetic doctrine in Islam, has occupied a very specific place in the Islamic tradition, with its own history, literature and devotional practices. Its development began in the seventh century and spread throughout the Islamic world. The Cambridge Companion to Sufism traces its evolution from the formative period to the present, addressing specific themes along the way within the context of the times. In a section discussing the early period, the devotional practices of the earliest Sufis are considered. The section on the medieval period, when Sufism was at its height, examines Sufi doctrines, different forms of mysticism and the antinomian expressions of Sufism. The section on the modern period explains the controversies that surrounded Sufism, the changes that took place in the colonial period and how Sufism transformed into a transnational movement in the twentieth century. This inimitable volume sheds light on a multifaceted and alternative aspect of Islamic history and religion.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Lloyd Ridgeon is Reader in Islamic Studies at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. His previous publications include Javanmardi: A Sufi Code of Honour (2011) and Morals and Mysticism in Persian Sufism (2010).

CONTRIBUTORS:

Christopher Melchert, Laury Silvers, Erik Ohlander, Saeko Yazaki, Lloyd Ridgeon, Leonard Lewisohn, Ahmed Karamustafa, Vikor Knut, Beverly B. Mack, Ron Geaves, Itzchak Weismann, Pnina Werbner

FEATURED PHOTO:

Destruction by Salafists of the mausoleum of the Sufi muslim saint Al-Shaab Al-Dahman near the centre of Tripoli, Libya 2012.