Mystical Teachings of al-Shadhili

Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi' holds the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities Chair in Islamic Studies at the University of Alberta. He is the author of Intellectual Origins of Islamic Resurgence in the Modern Arab World and the editor of several books, including Islam at the Crossroads: On the Life and Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; Islam in Modern Turkey: An Intellectual Biography of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; and Contemporary Islamic Conversations: M. Fethullah Gülen on Turkey, Islam, and the West; all published by SUNY Press. Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi' holds the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities Chair in Islamic Studies at the University of Alberta. He is the author of Intellectual Origins of Islamic Resurgence in the Modern Arab World and the editor of several books, including Islam at the Crossroads: On the Life and Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; Islam in Modern Turkey: An Intellectual Biography of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; and Contemporary Islamic Conversations: M. Fethullah Gülen on Turkey, Islam, and the West; all published by SUNY Press. Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi' holds the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities Chair in Islamic Studies at the University of Alberta. He is the author of Intellectual Origins of Islamic Resurgence in the Modern Arab World and the editor of several books, including Islam at the Crossroads: On the Life and Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; Islam in Modern Turkey: An Intellectual Biography of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; and Contemporary Islamic Conversations: M. Fethullah Gülen on Turkey, Islam, and the West; all published by SUNY Press.

"This work is excellent. It provides a thoroughly annotated and sound translation of one of the oldest biographies of the well-known thirteenth-century Sufi master Abu'l-Hasan al-Shadhili. The annotation is exhaustive and extremely useful. In general the genre has not received much attention and it is good to see a major work to which one can refer as an example. It will be welcomed by everyone interested in the history and teachings of Sufism. Given al-Shadhili's fame, a work on him is long overdue. His order is more influential than any other today in the West." — William Chittick, State University of New York at Stony Brook"This is a superb work of translation done with precision and care and according to traditional scholarly methods. There are many things I like about this book In the first place the translation is very good. The language is idiomatic, flows freely, and is easy to read. It retains the flavor of the original Arabic text without, however, reflecting any of its Arabic syntax and word order." — Nicholas Heer, University of Washington"We do not have many biographies of great Sufis, much less their prayers, letters, and remarks. This collection allows us to penetrate into the thinking of the foremost Sufi of his day, and later. This is especially important for al-Shadhili wrote no books whatsoever." — Victor Danner, Indiana University"This is a fascinating and extremely important book, from which one could easily teach an entire course on Islamic spirituality. It combines a number of central genres: hagiography, letters of spiritual direction, prayers and meditations, personal spiritual pedagogy (malfuzat), etc.—in an understandable, approachable, and humane context that clearly brings out the historical and religious setting of these typical spiritual teachings. I would love to have a copy for use in many of my undergraduate courses.The topics raised here, whether with regard to the social history of Islamic religion or the interrelations between popular spirituality and learned forms (and of both with political powers) are centrally important to any understanding of Islam and at the forefront of scholarly research in both Islamic history and Islamic religion and spirituality." — James W. Morris, Oberlin College

• PrefaceEditor's IntroductionAuthor's Introduction to the Pearl of Mysteries and the Treasure of the Righteous1. His Noble Lineage, Travels, and RankTestimony of Ibn Futuh: Alchemy, and Divine ProtectionStory of the WoodcutterAl-Habibi, First CompanionTestimony of al-Ibri: Mount Zaghawan, Birds, and the SpringIntervention of Ibn al-Bara' and Abu ZakariyaNarration of MadiTestimony of Abu 'Abd Allah, the Copyist'Izz al-Din and the PilgrimageThe Shaykh Watches over MadiMadi and al-Shadhili Visit the Tomb of the ProphetTestimony of Jamal al-Din: Worship and WorksDrunkenness of the Shaykh's SonShihab al-Din before the ShaykhTestimony about 'Arifat al-KhayrThe Shaykh Settles a Dispute with BerbersArgument with a Group of M'utazilaTrue AsceticismA LitigationMiraculous Multiplication of Sheep and Grain2. Correspondence with His CompanionsLetter of Consolation to a Disciple in QuyrawanLetter to Followers in TunisExhortation to Certain JudgesLetter to 'Ali Ibn Makhluf3. Supplication, Devotional Recitations, and Prayers of ConfrontationsThe Noble Litany and the Mighty Veil (Hijab), or the Great LitanyBlessed Supplication Known as the Litany of the SeaLitany of LightAn AnecdoteA Devotional Recitation (Dhikr)A Devotional Recitation: Prayer for HappinessA Devotional Recitation: The VeilingA Devotional Recitation: Divine GraceA Devotional Recitation: God's Love All-SufficientA Devotional Recitation: Contemptibility and RespectabilityA Devotional Recitation: On Hearing the Call to PrayerA Devotional Recitation: The WorshipA Dhikr to Dispel DepressionA Devotional Recitation: God the Living and Sole ProviderA Devotional Recitation: Thanksgiving for BenefactionIn Praise of the MakerA Prayer before the Prophet's TombA Prayer for ForgivenessAn Invocation: The Great NameA Devotional Recitation: Inner Sight and ProvidenceA Devotional Recitation: Granting of RequestsA Devotional Recitation: Compassion4. His Opinions, Injunctions, Doctrine on Sufism, and Other SciencesRule of the Religious Retreat ('Uzla)Help-Procuring Sayings on Entering the Religious RetreatSection on Overcoming SatanPerils of the Religious RetreatFruits of the Religious RetreatWatchfulnessOn SainthoodContraction (Qabd) and Expansion (Bast)Loss and GainThe WillSincerityReligious ScienceThe ElectThe WayUnderstandingObedienceRecitation and a PrayerMiscellaneous InstructionsChapter in LoveScrupulous PeityOne of His Devotional Recitations (Adhkar)AnecdotesVerses of the Shaykh, Saint and Mystic Abu al-'Abbas al-MursiMy Observation of His Salutation on the Apostle of GodOne of His Devotional RecitationsA Devotional RecitationA Devotional RecitationA SayingVerses of al-MazduriSayings and AnecdotesA Daily DhikrTrustIntentionA Dhikr of the HeartDisobedienceResolutionsSeekersSpiritual CommunionSatanConversationTranquilityEnigmasMiscellaneous TeachingsSection on the Commonality and the ElectDisplay of KnowledgeGood BreedingLove for GodSin and PardonKnowledgeA RemedyTrustworthinessWorldly GoodsGazellesReligious ActsRealizationSure PardonSecurityA RequestAnxietyA PetitionDivine ManagementFinal InjunctionQualities of the Sincere5. Al-Shadhili's Death and the Appointment of Abu Al-'Abbas al-Mursi as SuccessorTestimony of Sharaf al-DinA PremonitionTestimony of Abu Ishaq IbrahimTestimony of 'Imad al-DinPersonal DescriptionExcellences of al-Shadhili's SuccessorTestimony of Madi ibn SultanTestimony of Yaqut al-Habashi: The Story of the RaisinsStory of FishingTestimony of 'Abd al-Da'im: An Abundant HarvestTestimony of 'Imad al-Din on Taj al-DinStory of Two Jars of HoneyStatement of Abu Zayd ibn 'Abd al-Rahman: Pilgrimage with the ApostleTestimony of Jamal al-Din YusufCorrespondence of al-MursiStatement of Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn HarizLetter to Shihab al-Din on the SoulEulogy of Shihab al-DinCorrespondence with Jaml al-DinDeath of al-Mursi and His GraveA Sea RescueThe Grave: A TheriacTomb and Mosque of al-MursiAttainments of Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Sultan, Brother of MadiA Dhikr is GivenA Case of ExegesisAl-Yafruni: The MurabitOther AnecdotesWajih al-DinAl-'AwfiStory of the CrowStory of the BeardTrue WorshipAl-Murjani: Fear and HopeHouse of EvilIbn al-Mu'addib, the Sultan, and the WellStory of the Grape ThiefStory of the Cattle ThiefCarbuncles HealedOn Learning the Qur'anThe Orange TreeFasting and FeastingThe FigUnveiling SecretsThe ViperTranslevitationA HeritageTestimony of al-HimyariStory of the Rent MoneyTombs of SaintsStory of the CrippleAl-Bija'iChristians Enter TunisLight from the GraveThe Tailor ShopAnecdotes about MadiNotesBibliographyIndex