Unveiling Sufism by William Rory Dickson

Unveiling Sufism by William Rory Dickson

In contrast to most introductory texts on Sufism, this work begins not with the historical past, but with the contemporary present. Beginning with Sufism as it is lived today, each chapter further unveils the complexities of Sufism, journeying through a variety of historical, political, and cultural contexts, moving deeper into the past, and closer to the origin and heart of Sufism. This geneological framework will enable the reader to understand the patterns of connection between contemporary manifestations of Sufism and past realities. To ensure that the full range of Sufism's varied expressions is taken into account, each chapter is divided into four sections: Politics and Power, Philosophy and Metaphysics, Arts and Culture, and Overview of Historical Developments. Dividing chapters into these four broad categories enables the book to highlight some of the ways in which Sufism has influenced Muslim politics, philosophy, art, and culture in each historical period. In each category the relevant issues are illustrated through detailed case studies, whether of a particular Sufi figure, place, artistic expression, or philosophical view. This allows the reader to develop a genuinely three-dimensional appreciation of Sufism, neither reducing it to a private mystical experience divorced from social expression, nor limiting the tradition to historical names and dates.

William Rory Dickson is an Assistant Professor for the Religion and Culture Department at the University of Winnipeg. Meena Sharify-Funk is an Associate Professor for the Religion and Culture Department at Wilfrid Laurier University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781781792445
ISBN 10	1781792445
Title	Unveiling Sufism
Author	William Rory Dickson
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Equinox Publishing Ltd
Year published	2017-08-10
Number of pages	310
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.