Schocken Books, 1975 (1914)
Back cover:
Quoting extensively from the great mystics of Islam, Professor Nicholson in this brief volume creates a general outline of Sufism, or the Islamic tradition of mysticism. After offering a brief historical introduction, he describes each of the essential aspects of Sufism. He begins by outlining the stages the mystic must pass through toward his ultimate goal of loss of self in union with God, or the Real. He goes on to examine the roles of illumination and ecstasy, the attainment of mystical knowledge, of divine love, and the position of saints and miracles in the mystic disciplines and orders of Islam, such as the dervishes. Finally, he looks at the ultimate state of union, offers the Sufis’ views of it, insofar as language permits its description, and contrasts it with similar mystic stages, such as Nirvana, described in other religious traditions. With remarkable simplicity and clarity Dr. Nicholson illumines one of the most important of the world’s mystical traditions in this easy and indispensable introduction to Sufism.
Reynold A. Nicholson is translator of many important source texts from both Persian and Arabic and author of A Literary History of the Arabs, among other works.
Jan Olof Bengtsson 