STUDIES IN ISLAMIC MYSTICISM BY REYNOLD ALLEYNE NICHOLSON LITT. D., LL. D. LECTURER IN PERSIAN IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE FORMERLY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS I 92 I TO EDWARD GRANVILLE BROWNE WHOSE TEACHING AND EXAMPLE FIRST INSPIRED ME TO PURSUE THE STUDY OF ORIENTAL LITERATURE PREFACE As was explained . in the preface to my Studies in Islamic Poetry, the following essays conclude a series of five, which fall into two groups and are therefore published in separate volumes. While mysticism, save for a few casual references, found no place in the studies on the Lubdbu l-Albdb of Awff and the Luzumiyydt of Abu VA1 al-Maarrf, in these now brought together it has taken entire possession of the field. Ibnu l-Frid, indeed, is an exquisite poet and the picture of Abii Safd ibn Abi 1-Khayr, drawn by pious faith and coloured with legendary romance, may be looked upon as a work of art in its way. But on the whole the literary interest of the present volume is subordinate to the religious and philosophical. I have tried to make the reader acquainted with three iifis famous in the East and worthy of being known in Europe. Most of what has hitherto been written concerning Abii Safd begins and ends with the quatrains passing as his, though for the chief part, at any rate they were neither composed nor recited by him. As to Jflf, the masterly sketch in Dr Muhammad Iqbdls Development of Metaphysics in Persia stands almost alone. Ibuu l-F ri J. had the misfortune to be translated by Von Hammer, and the first intelligent or intelligible version of his great Tdiyya appeared in Italy four years ago. It will be seen that the subjects chosen illustrate different aspectsof tifism and exhibit racial contrasts, of which perhaps the importance has not yet been sufficiently recognised. Abii Safd, the free-thinking free-living dervish, is a Persian through and through, while Ibnu l-Fdri4 in the form of his poetry as well as in the individuality of his spiritual enthusiasm display the narrower and tenser genius of the Semite. Nearly a v third of this volume is concerned with a type of iifism, which- vi Preface as represented by Ibnu l- Arabf and Jfli possesses great interest for students of medieval thought and may even claim a certain significance in relation to modern philosophical and theological problems. Mysticism is such a vital element in Islam that without some understanding of its ideas and of the forms which they assume we should seek in vain to penetrate below the surface of Mohammedan religious life. The forms may be fantastic and the ideas difficult to grasp nevertheless we shall do well to follow them, for in their company East and West often meet and feel themselves akin. I regret that I have not been able to make full use of several books and articles published during the final stages of the war or soon afterwards, which only came into my hands when these studies were already in the press. Tor Andraes Die person Muhammeds in lehre und glauben seiner gemeinde Upsala, 1917 contains by far the best survey that has yet appeared of the sources, historical evolution and general characteristics of the Mohammedan Logos doctrine. This, as I have said, is the real subject of the Insdnu l-Kdmtt. Its roots lie, of course, in Hellenism. Andrae shows how the notion of the ffeio avQg rros passed over into Islam through the Shiites and became embodied in theImdm, regarded as the living representative of God and as a semi-divine person ality on whom the world depends for its existence. Many Shiites were in close touch with iifism, and there can be no doubt that, as Ibn Khaldiin observed, the Shf ite Imdm is the prototype of the iifistic Qutb. It was inevitable that the attributes of the Imm and Qutb should be transferred to the Prophet, so that even amongst orthodox Moslems the belief in his pre-existence rapidly gained ground...

To the English reader the mysticism of Rumi opens a new world of spiritual and poetical experience. "God is One but religions are many" runs the Sufi teaching; and the English reader can here enlarge his experience by apprehending the mystic intuition of a great Persian poet. The late Professor Nicholson's beautiful and faithful translations are illuminated by Notes on Sufi doctrine and experience. Professor Nicholson did not finish the Introduction, but it has been completed by his old pupil and friend, Professor A. J. Arberry, who has seen the book through the press.

To the English reader the mysticism of Rumi opens a new world of spiritual and poetical experience. "God is One but religions are many" runs the Sufi teaching; and the English reader can here enlarge his experience by apprehending the mystic intuition of a great Persian poet. The late author's beautiful and faithful translations are illuminated by Notes on Sufi doctrine and experience. The author did not finish the Introduction, but it has been completed by his old pupil and friend, Professor A. J. Arberry, who has seen the book through the press.

Two essays on Persian and Arabic poetic literature, which form the first part of a collection of essays by Nicholson. This volume was written during the First World War and originally published in 1921. The second volume Studies in Islamic Mysticism was reissued in the Cambridge University Press Library Collections series in 1967. The essays contain full quotation in translation and the original texts appear in an appendix.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1907 Edition.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1907 Edition.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.