Outline of Sufism

This concise book seeks to make available to the public what may be called "the other side of Islam - not the violent aspect appearing in the nightly news headlines which focus on radical terrorists, but the long and rich tradition at the heart of Islamic spirituality known as Sufism. With great lucidity and clarity, Stoddart offers a succinct, yet comprehensive overview of Sufism's fundamental doctrines and spiritual practices, which are followed by many millions of Muslims throughout the world. Known for his capacity to give clear explanations of unfamiliar and complex material, Stoddart emphasises the importance of the role of art and beauty, highlights its intricate symbolism and explains the central role of the invocation of the Name of God in Sufi spiritual practice; an appendix includes central Koranic, Prophetic and traditional Sufi sayings. This new edition is based upon an earlier and much shorter book Stoddart wrote 35 years ago, which was highly acclaimed by leading experts in the field of Islamic Studies. Harvard professor Annemarie Schimmel remarked that it was "Useful ... adorned with many good illustrations ... (and) contains many important points clearly expressed."