Rumi's great book of wisdom-infused poetry contain myriad lessons on the importance of faith, with the culture and lessons of spiritual, Biblical and Islamic teachings featuring strongly. In authoring his masterwork, Rumi quoted the Qu'ran, the Bible and several spiritual forebears. Wishing to align his poetry in order to tell tales of man and man's place in the world, Rumi drew upon a variety of religious and spiritual sources to create a poetic compendium of supreme profundity and depth. The Masnavi was praised as one of the finest works of mystical literature ever seen. It is in the Masnavi that Persia's place between the spiritual cultures of Asia and the Middle East is evidenced. Rumi himself, while undoubtedly an Islamic scholar of great ability, did not feel confined to the faith; he saw spiritual value in a range of disciplines, and asserted that the light of Mohammed's prophecy does not leave faithful Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians or other denominations behind.

A study of the life and background of 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, putative founder of the Qadiriyya order, investigating the sources for his life and attributed works. The book seeks to elucidate the ideas of al-Jilani, and to formulate a picture of the most prominent trends of pious and mystical thought in Baghdad during the twelfth century, providing a cultural and geographical angle to the study of Islamic mysticism and piety.

'Ali, son of Abi Talib, Muhammad's son-in-law and cousin, is the only Companion of the Prophet who has remained to this day the object of fervent devotion of hundreds of millions of followers in the lands of Islam, especially in the East. Based on a detailed analysis of several categories of sources, this book demonstrates that Shi'ism is the religion of the Imam, of the Master of Wisdom, just like Christianity is that of Christ, and that 'Ali is the first Master and Imam par excellence. Shi'ism can therefore be defined, in its most specific religious aspects, as the absolute faith in 'Ali: the divine Man, the most perfect manifestation of God's attributes, simultaneously spiritual refuge, model and horizon. With contributions by Orkhan Mir-Kasimov & Mathieu Terrier Translated from French by Francisco Jose Luis & Anthony Gledhill

Practical Mysticism is an outstanding guide to experiencing and understanding mystical experiences by renowned scholar Evelyn Underhill. Underhill's books are appreciated and praised to this day by scholars and enthusiasts of spiritualism, and even psychologists seeking explanation of the spiritual component of human behaviour. In Practical Mysticism, the author introduces and unveils key tenets of mysticism for the ordinary reader. Highly inclusive, Underhill proposes that the spiritual discoveries and self-discovery of mysticism are available to every person, and that all it takes is the will and persistence to embark on the voyage. Although praised for her work on Christian mysticism, Underhill is careful to note that her general take on spiritual experiences is not tied to one, or indeed any, formal religion. Rather she is of the opinion that the journey to spiritual awakening is a vital one for those wishing to better understand and come to terms with the complex universe we live in.

Al-Ghazali (d. 505/1111) is one of the most influential thinkers of Islam. There is hardly a genre of Islamic literature where he is not regarded as a major authority. Islamic Law, Sufism, ethics, philosophy, and theology are all deeply shaped by him. Yet in the past thirty years, the field of Ghazali-studies has been shaken by the realization that Avicenna (Ibn Sina, d. 428/1037) and other philosophers had a strong influence on him. Now, after the 900th anniversary at his death, the field emerges stronger than ever. This second volume of Islam and Rationality: The Impact of al-Ghazali brings together twelve leading experts on al-Ghazali who write about his thought and the impact it had on later Muslim thinkers. Contributors are: Anna Ayse Akasoy, Ahmed El Shamsy, Kenneth Garden, Frank Griffel, Jules Janssens, Damien Janos, Taneli Kukkonen, Stephen Ogden, M. Sait OEzervarli, Martin Riexinger, Ulrich Rudolph, and Ayman Shihadeh.