William C. Chittick

This is the most accessible work in English on the greatest mystical poet of Islam, providing a survey of the basic Sufi and Islamic doctrines concerning God and the world, the role of man in the cosmos, the need for religion, man’s ultimate becoming, the states and stations of the mystical ascent to God, and the means whereby literature employs symbols to express “unseen” realities. William Chittick translates into English for the first time certain aspects of Rumi’s work. He selects and rearranges Rumi’s poetry and prose in order to leave aside unnecessary complications characteristic of other English translations and to present Rumi’s ideas in an orderly fashion, yet in his own words. Thorough, nontechnical introductions to each chapter, and selections that gradually present a greater variety of terms and images, make this work easily accessible to those interested in the spirituality of any tradition.

The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi

The Sufi Path of Love

أنا والرومي 

sachiko murata

Covering the four dimensions of Islam as outlined in the Hadith of Gabriel--practice, faith, spirituality, and the Islamic view of history--The Vision of Islam draws on the Koran, the sayings of the Prophet and the great authorities of the tradition. This clearly written book introduces the essentials of each dimension and then shows how each has been embodied in Islamic institutions throughout history.

the vision of islam

Sachiko Murata

An exploration of the fundamental beliefs of Islam which covers the faith's four dimensions: practice, faith, spirituality and the Islamic view of history, as outlined in the Hadith of Gabriel. Interweaves teachings from the Quran, the sayings of the Prophet and the great authorities of Islam.

Vision of Islam

Ibn al-'Arabi is still known as "the Great Sheik" among the surviving Sufi orders. Born in Muslim Spain, he has become famous in the West as the greatest mystical thinker of Islamic civilization. He was a great philosopher, theologian, and poet. William Chittick takes a major step toward exposing the breadth and depth of Ibn al-'Arabi's vision. The book offers his view of spiritual perfection and explains his theology, ontology, epistemology, hermeneutics, and soteriology. The clear language, unencumbered by methodological jargon, makes it accessible to those familiar with other spiritual traditions, while its scholarly precision will appeal to specialists. Beginning with a survey of Ibn al-'Arabi's major teachings, the book gradually introduces the most important facets of his thought, devoting attention to definitions of his basic terminology. His teachings are illustrated with many translated passages introducing readers to fascinating byways of spiritual life that would not ordinarily be encountered in an account of a thinker's ideas. Ibn al-'Arabi is allowed to describe in detail the visionary world from which his knowledge derives and to express his teachings in his own words. More than 600 passages from his major work, al-Futuhat al-Makkivva, are translated here, practically for the first time. These alone provide twice the text of the Fusus al-hikam. The exhaustive indexes make the work an invaluable reference tool for research in Sufism and Islamic thought in general.

Ibn Al-ʻArabi's Metaphysics of Imagination

The Sufi Path of Knowledge

Turan Koç

kısa bir giriş

Tasavvuf

وارث الانبياء

محيي الدين ابن عربي

The Pertinence of Islamic Cosmology in the Modern World

Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul

With academic courses either encouraging commercialism, or cultivating zealots, Chittick states that it is impossible to understand classical Islamic texts without the years of contemplative study that are anathema to the modern education system. Insisting upon a return to the ways of the ancient wisdom tradition, which saw the quest for knowledge of the soul, the world, and God as a unifying spiritual discipline, Chittick maintains that the study of Islamic texts cannot be treated separately from self-understanding. Fascinating, radical, and a true challenge to modern trends in academic study, this book opens a new debate in Islamic thought.

A compelling insight into the origins, context, and key themes of the Sufi movement by leading scholar William C Chittick. The text covers such diverse topics as the relationship between Sufism and Islam; the spiritual properties of music and dance; and the beliefs, and key writings of the Sufi tradition.

A Short Introduction

Sufism

What is mysticism? What does sufism mean today? William C. Chittick, the leading scholar in the field, offers a compelling insight into the origins, context, and key themes of this fascinating movement. After a general overview of the tradition, he draws upon the words of some of the greatest Sufi writers - among them Ibn Arabi, Baha Walad and Rumi himself - to give a fresh and revealing perspective on the teachings and beliefs of Sufism and its proponents. Fresh and authoritative, this sympathetic book will be appreciated by anyone interested in Sufism, from complete beginners to students, scholars and experts alike.

A Beginner's Guide

Explicates the cosmology of Ibn al-'Arabi, the greatest mystical thinker of Islamic civilization.

Principles of Ibn al-ʿArabī's Cosmology

The Self-Disclosure of God

Offers insight into the origins and key themes of Islamic mysticism. This book reveals perspective on the teachings and beliefs of Sufism and its proponents. It is suitable to anyone interested in Sufism, from complete beginners to students, scholars and experts alike.

Jal?l al-D?n R?m? (Maulana)

?al?l al-D?n R?m?

?al?l-ad-D?n R?m?

This is the most accessible work in English on the greatest mystical poet of Islam, providing a survey of the basic Sufi and Islamic doctrines concerning God and the world, the role of man in the cosmos, the need for religion, man's ultimate becoming, the states and stations of the mystical ascent to God, and the means whereby literature employs symbols to express "unseen" realities. William Chittick translates into English for the first time certain aspects of Rumi's work. He selects and rearranges Rumi's poetry and prose in order to leave aside unnecessary complications characteristic of other English translations and to present Rumi's ideas in an orderly fashion, yet in his own words. Thorough, nontechnical introductions to each chapter, and selections that gradually present a greater variety of terms and images, make this work easily accessible to those interested in the spirituality of any tradition.

This introduction to Islam for Western readers explores the fundamental religious beliefs held by Muslims for nearly 1400 years. It covers the four dimensions of Islam - practice, faith, spirituality and the Islamic view of history, as outlined in the Hadith of Gabriel. Interweaving teachings from the Koran, the sayings of the Prophet, and the great authorities of the tradition, the book introduces the essentials of each dimension. It then goes on to describe how each has been manifest in Islamic institutions throughout the course of history.

The Foundations of Muslim Faith and Practice

The Vision of Islam

This book introduces the work of an important medieval Islamic philosopher who is little known outside the Persian world. Afdal al-Din Kashani was a contemporary of a number of important Muslim thinkers, including Averroes and Ibn al-Arabi. Kashani did not write for advanced students of philosophy but rather for beginners. In the main body of his work, he offers especially clear and insightful expositions of various philosophical positions, making him an invaluable resource for those who would like to learn the basic principles and arguments of this philosophical tradition but do not have a strong background in philosophy. Here, Chittick uses Kashani and his work to introduce the basic issues and arguments of Islamic philosophy to modern readers.

The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afdal al-Din Kashani

The Heart of Islamic Philosophy

In this book Chittick explains Ibn al-Arabi's concept of human perfection, his World of Imagination, and his teachings on why God's wisdom demands diversity of religious expression. He then suggests how these teachings can be employed to conceptualize the study of world religions in a contemporary context. Ibn al-Arabi, known as the "Greatest Master,"is the most influential Muslim thinker of the past 600 years. This book is an introduction to his thought concerning the ultimate destiny of human beings, God and the cosmos, and the reasons for religious diversity. It summarizes many of Ibn al-Arabi's teachings in a simple manner. The ideas discussed are explained in detail. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part Chittick explains Ibn al-Arabi's concept of human perfection; in the second part he looks at various implications of the World of Imagination; and in the third part he exposes Ibn al-Arabi's teachings on why God's wisdom demands diversity of religious expression, and he suggests how these teachings can be employed to conceptualize the study of world religions in a contemporary context. William C. Chittick is Associate Professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is the author of Faith and Practice of Islam; A Shi'ite Anthology; The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn al- Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination; and The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi; all published by SUNY Press.

William C. Chittick

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