Readings from the Mystics of Islam is an anthology of writings from Islamic mysticism's greatest masters of wisdom, translated and edited by renowned scholar of Sufism Margaret Smith. The collection ranges from the beginnings of Sufism in the 8th century to the modern era, and includes jewels of mystical thought and experience from Rabi'a, al-Hallaj, Rumi, Ibn 'Arabi and Hafiz.

Experts: Sufism, the religious philosophy of Islam, is described in the oldest extant definition as the apprehension of divine realities, and Mohammedan mystics are fond of calling themselves Ahl al-Haqq, 'the followers of the Real.' In attempting to set forth their central doctrines from this point of view, I shall draw to some extent on materials which I have collected during the last twenty years for a general history of Islamic mysticism-a subject so vast and many-sided that several large volumes would be required to do it anything like justice. Here I can only sketch in broad outline certain principles, methods, and characteristic features of the inner life as it has been lived by Moslems of every class and condition from the eighth century of our era to the present day... The Sufi who sets out to seek God calls himself a 'traveler' (salik); he advances by slow 'stages' (maqamat) along a 'path' (tariqat) to the goal of union with Reality...

"A concise but authentic account." — Islamic Review. The first concise history of Sufism to appear in any language, this work remains among the best. A noted scholar offers insights into every aspect of Sufism, from interpretation of the word of God and the life of the Prophet to the theorists of Sufism, the structure of Sufi theory and practice, and more.

This volume makes available and accessible the writings of the crucial early period of Islamic mysticism during which Sufism developed as one of the world's major mystical traditions. The texts are accompanied by commentary on their historical, literary and philosophical context.