SUFI ORDERS

• Sufi Orders in Islam
• Mir Saiyid Ali Hamadani and the Kubraviya Sufi Order in Kashmir
• The Sufis of Britain

The Sufi Orders in Islam                                        J. Spencer Trimingham 
 Paperback - 356 pages             

 Description : Sufism, the name given to Islamic mysticism, has been the subject of many studies, but the orders through which the organisational aspect of the Sufi spirit was expressed has been neglected. The Sufi Orders in Islam is one of the earliest modern examinations of the historical development of Sufism and is considered a classic work in numerous sources of Islamic studies today. Here, author J. Spencer Trimingham offers a clear and detailed account of the formation and development of the Sufi schools and orders (tariqahs) from the second century of Islam until modern times. 
 
Trimingham focuses on the practical disciplines behind the mystical aspects of Sufism which initially attracted a Western audience. He shows how Sufism developed and changed, traces its relationship to the unfolding and spread of mystical ideas, and describes in sharp detail its rituals and ceremonial practices. Finally, he assesses the influence of these Sufi orders upon Islamic society in general. John O. Voll has added a new introduction to this classic text and provides readers with an updated list of further reading.
 
The Sufi Orders in Islam will appeal not only to those already familiar with Triminghams groundbreaking research, but also to the growing reading public of Islamic studies and mysticism.

 
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Mir Saiyid Ali Hamadani and the Kubraviya Sufi Order in Kashmir  
 
Hardback: [20 +155] Total 175 pages    by Surayia Gull (Naqati) Foreward by Akhtar ul-Wasey

 
Contents: Foreword. Preface. Introduction. 1. Various Sufi Silsilas in Kashmir—a general survey. 2. Saiyid Ali Hamadani and his impact. 3. Development and salient features of Kubraviya Sufi order. 4. Some prominent Sufis of Kubraviya order and their contribution. 5. Conclusion. Glossary. Appendices. Bibliography. Index.

"Kashmir has attracted the attention of the world over the ages primarily for the scenic beauty that nature has been generous to bestow upon it. The music of its springs and rivers, the serenity of its lakes and mountains, the rich variety of colour and taste that its flowers and fruits offer has made it the sinecure of the men of taste. No less interesting and absorbing has been its culture known as Kashmiriat that represents its unique capacity to harmonise diversity of human thought and experience. This is the gift of not only the natural propensity of its people to peaceful existence.

This culture has been moulded by the Sufi tradition of Muslim mystics. Advent of Islam in Kashmir owes itself to Saiyid Abdul Rehman Sharifuddin Suhrawardi May Allah be pleased with him. The most influential of the Sufis was Saiyid Ali Shah Hamadani May Allah be pleased with him. His follower Sheikh Nooruddin Rishi is the most revered saint in Kashmir and is known as Alamdar-e-Kashmir (the standard-bearer of Kashmir).

This book gives an account of the various Sufi orders that have found followers in Kashmir as well as elsewhere. Attention has been given to Shaykh Noor al-Din, but the main focus of course is on Saiyid Ali Shah Hamadani who carried the Sufi tradition to the masses because of which he has come to be known as ''Amir-e-Kabir, Shah-e-Hamadan and Ali Sani''. The reader will find here a detailed account of his life and thought.

The book will be found interesting not only for scholars of religious traditions but all those who seek to understand the people of Kashmir. The Kashmiris may find it a mirror of their intellectual and spiritual life." (Jacket)

 
 
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The Sufis of Britain  
 Hardback - 228 pages                                                                             by Ron Geaves

The Sufis of Britain

Much of the literature in the field of Islamic Studies concentrates on the contemporary ideological reform movements.

Sufism is usually perceived as an historical phenomenon and the literature focuses on the teachings of long-dead masters.

The vibrant living tradition is often neglected in studies, there is a strong case to argue that the dominant mode of Muslim belief and practice is still highly influenced by the Sufi tradition.

Sufi orders (tariqas) are still flourishing in most parts of the Muslim world and rural Muslims, if not actually practising Sufis, often focus their religious life around veneration to deceased saints from the various Sufi orders.

This book will attempt to restore the balance by demonstrating the prevalence of the Sufi tradition in Britain. This book deals with :

# The beliefs and practices of contemporary Sufis

# The history and development of the Sufi tariqas in Britain

# Case studies of several major tariqas from the Subcontinent, Middle-East, Africa and Turkey

# Electic forms of Sufism practised by the indigenous population and forming part of the `New Age` phenomenon

 
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