At the end of the sixteenth century and the turn of the first Islamic millennium, the powerful Mughal emperor Akbar declared himself the most sacred being on earth. The holiest of all saints and above the distinctions of religion, he styled himself as the messiah reborn. Yet the Mughal emperor was not alone in doing so. In this field-changing study, A. Azfar Moin explores why Muslim sovereigns in this period began to imitate the exalted nature of Sufi saints. Uncovering a startling yet widespread phenomenon, he shows how the charismatic pull of sainthood (wilayat) -- rather than the draw of religious law (sharia) or holy war (jihad) -- inspired a new style of sovereignty in Islam. A work of history richly informed by the anthropology of religion and art, The Millennial Sovereign traces how royal dynastic cults and shrine-centered Sufism came together in the imperial cultures of Timurid Central Asia, Safavid Iran, and Mughal India. By juxtaposing imperial chronicles, paintings, and architecture with theories of sainthood, apocalyptic treatises, and manuals on astrology and magic, Moin uncovers a pattern of Islamic politics shaped by Sufi and millennial motifs.He shows how alchemical symbols and astrological rituals enveloped the body of the monarch, casting him as both spiritual guide and material lord. Ultimately, Moin offers a striking new perspective on the history of Islam and the religious and political developments linking South Asia and Iran in early-modern times.

Journey deeper into the sacred realm of Freemasonry with Esoteric Freemasonry, Jean-Louis de Biasi s follow-up to Secrets and Practices of the Freemasons. This powerful book reveals the valuable teachings and rituals of esoteric Freemasonry so you can practice as an individual. Learn how to enter into your inner temple and accomplish the ancient mysteries. Progress through the different degrees of initiation and discover links back to Egyptian Masonry. Using this guide s powerful rituals and exploration of the inner traditions, you ll take the next step in your spiritual practice and improve your life.

Delving deeper into the soul of Islam and the definition of spirituality, this third volume examines the mainstream path that seekers are expected to follow in order to learn the fundamental concepts of Sufism and the essentials of the Islamic faith. Concepts central to Sufism, such as unity and multiplicity, silence, privacy and company, and sainthood, are thoroughly discussed.

This history of Sufi conceptions of the hereafter - often imagined as a place of corporeal reward (Paradise) or punishment (Hell) - is built upon the study of five medieval Sufi Qur'an commentaries. Pieter Coppens shows that boundary crossing from this world to the otherworld, and vice versa, revolves around the idea of meeting with and the vision of God; a vision which for some Sufis is not limited to the hereafter. The Qur'anic texts selected for study - all key verses on seeing God - are placed in their broader religious and social context and are shown to provide a useful and varied source for the reconstruction of a history of Sufi eschatology and the vision of God.