Early Islamic Mysticism: Sufi, Qur'an, Mi'raj, Poetic and Theological Writings

Theological Studies, March, 1997 by John Renard

Translated, edited, and with an introduction by Michael A. Sells. The Classics of Western Spirituality. New York: Paulist, 1996. Pp. xi 398. $39.95; 24.95.

Beginning as early as the eighth century, Muslims have produced one of the world's richest bodies of mystical literature. With Sells's new "Classics" volume Paulist Press continues its service of providing first-class translations of seminal primary sources. More importantly, this is the first truly ample assortment of texts spanning the eighth to tenth centuries. S.'s renderings are superb as is his choice of materials. In addition to several freshly translated texts of Wan and Hadith, the chapter on the sources of Islamic mysticism describes pre-Islamic poetry as an oasis of Arabic mystical imagery--an important but generally neglected connection.

The introduction is designed to give readers new to the subject most necessary conceptual tools; the main chapters offer selections by and about nine major early Sufis. In an exception to the general use of Arabic sources, a chapter on the celebrated woman mystic, Rabi'a (who apparently left nothing in her own hand), retranslates a 13-century Persian hagiographical account in a fine rendering by Paul Losensky. Use of Munawi's late-16th-century Arabic version of Rabi'a's story would have kept the selections linguistically unified and presented a first English translation of that text, but Losensky's version is markedly preferable to Arberry's. S.'s new translations of texts from Junayd, Hallaj, and Niffari likewise represent notable improvements over earlier attempts by Arberry and others.

S. carefully and commendably discusses major technical and theoretical issues in his introductions and annotations. A keen sense of subtle nuance in mystical language and a breadth of familiarity with Judaic and Christian as well as Islamic mystical traditions make this volume a must for courses in Islamic spirituality and comparative mysticism.