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The World of the Sufi
Assembled by Idries Shah, The World of the Sufi is a comprehensive collection of learned essays and papers on the subject of Sufi thought.
One of the book’s attractions is the way that it considers central questions and areas of study from different angles. Sufi literature, the use of humour, and Sufi communities in various cultural settings, are some of the many subjects discussed.
In addition, experts in their fields comment on areas such as Sufism and Psychiatry, Indian Thought and the Sufis, and Therapy and the Sufi.
Among the book's contributors are Idries Shah, Doris Lessing, Peter Brent and Dr. Arthur J. Deikman.
One of the book’s attractions is the way that it considers central questions and areas of study from different angles. Sufi literature, the use of humour, and Sufi communities in various cultural settings, are some of the many subjects discussed.
In addition, experts in their fields comment on areas such as Sufism and Psychiatry, Indian Thought and the Sufis, and Therapy and the Sufi.
Among the book's contributors are Idries Shah, Doris Lessing, Peter Brent and Dr. Arthur J. Deikman.
- GenresIslam
376 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2004
About the author
Idries Shah
399 books434 followersIdries Shah (Persian: ادریس شاه), also known as Idris Shah, né Sayed Idries el-Hashimi (Arabic: سيد إدريس هاشمي), was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition who wrote over three dozen critically acclaimed books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and culture studies.
Born in India, the descendant of a family of Afghan nobles, Shah grew up mainly in England. His early writings centred on magic and witchcraft. In 1960 he established a publishing house, Octagon Press, producing translations of Sufi classics as well as titles of his own. His most seminal work was The Sufis, which appeared in 1964 and was well received internationally. In 1965, Shah founded the Institute for Cultural Research, a London-based educational charity devoted to the study of human behaviour and culture. A similar organisation, the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge (ISHK), exists in the United States, under the directorship of Stanford University psychology professor Robert Ornstein, whom Shah appointed as his deputy in the U.S.
In his writings, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predated Islam. Emphasising that Sufism was not static but always adapted itself to the current time, place and people, he framed his teaching in Western psychological terms. Shah made extensive use of traditional teaching stories and parables, texts that contained multiple layers of meaning designed to trigger insight and self-reflection in the reader. He is perhaps best known for his collections of humorous Mulla Nasrudin stories.
Shah was at times criticised by orientalists who questioned his credentials and background. His role in the controversy surrounding a new translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, published by his friend Robert Graves and his older brother Omar Ali-Shah, came in for particular scrutiny. However, he also had many notable defenders, chief among them the novelist Doris Lessing. Shah came to be recognised as a spokesman for Sufism in the West and lectured as a visiting professor at a number of Western universities. His works have played a significant part in presenting Sufism as a secular, individualistic form of spiritual wisdom.
Idries Shah's books on Sufism achieved considerable critical acclaim. He was the subject of a BBC documentary ("One Pair of Eyes") in 1969, and two of his works (The Way of the Sufi and Reflections) were chosen as "Outstanding Book of the Year" by the BBC's "The Critics" programme. Among other honours, Shah won six first prizes at the UNESCO World Book Year in 1973, and the Islamic scholar James Kritzeck, commenting on Shah's Tales of the Dervishes, said that it was "beautifully translated".
The reception of Shah's movement was also marked by much controversy. Some orientalists were hostile, in part because Shah presented classical Sufi writings as tools for self-development to be used by contemporary people, rather than as objects of historical study. L. P. Elwell-Sutton from Edinburgh University, Shah's fiercest critic, described his books as "trivial", replete with errors of fact, slovenly and inaccurate translations and even misspellings of Oriental names and words – "a muddle of platitudes, irrelevancies and plain mumbo-jumbo", adding for good measure that Shah had "a remarkable opinion of his own importance". Expressing amusement and amazement at the "sycophantic manner" of Shah's interlocutors in a BBC radio interview, Elwell-Sutton concluded that some Western intellectuals were "so desperate to find answers to the questions that baffle them, that, confronted with wisdom from 'the mysterious East,' they abandon their critical faculties and submit to brainwashing of the crudest kind". To Elwell-Sutton, Shah's Sufism belonged to the realm of "Pseudo-Sufism", "centred not on God but on man."
Doris Lessing, one of Shah's greatest defenders,stated in a 1981 interview: "I found Sufism as taught by Idries Shah, which claim
Born in India, the descendant of a family of Afghan nobles, Shah grew up mainly in England. His early writings centred on magic and witchcraft. In 1960 he established a publishing house, Octagon Press, producing translations of Sufi classics as well as titles of his own. His most seminal work was The Sufis, which appeared in 1964 and was well received internationally. In 1965, Shah founded the Institute for Cultural Research, a London-based educational charity devoted to the study of human behaviour and culture. A similar organisation, the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge (ISHK), exists in the United States, under the directorship of Stanford University psychology professor Robert Ornstein, whom Shah appointed as his deputy in the U.S.
In his writings, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predated Islam. Emphasising that Sufism was not static but always adapted itself to the current time, place and people, he framed his teaching in Western psychological terms. Shah made extensive use of traditional teaching stories and parables, texts that contained multiple layers of meaning designed to trigger insight and self-reflection in the reader. He is perhaps best known for his collections of humorous Mulla Nasrudin stories.
Shah was at times criticised by orientalists who questioned his credentials and background. His role in the controversy surrounding a new translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, published by his friend Robert Graves and his older brother Omar Ali-Shah, came in for particular scrutiny. However, he also had many notable defenders, chief among them the novelist Doris Lessing. Shah came to be recognised as a spokesman for Sufism in the West and lectured as a visiting professor at a number of Western universities. His works have played a significant part in presenting Sufism as a secular, individualistic form of spiritual wisdom.
Idries Shah's books on Sufism achieved considerable critical acclaim. He was the subject of a BBC documentary ("One Pair of Eyes") in 1969, and two of his works (The Way of the Sufi and Reflections) were chosen as "Outstanding Book of the Year" by the BBC's "The Critics" programme. Among other honours, Shah won six first prizes at the UNESCO World Book Year in 1973, and the Islamic scholar James Kritzeck, commenting on Shah's Tales of the Dervishes, said that it was "beautifully translated".
The reception of Shah's movement was also marked by much controversy. Some orientalists were hostile, in part because Shah presented classical Sufi writings as tools for self-development to be used by contemporary people, rather than as objects of historical study. L. P. Elwell-Sutton from Edinburgh University, Shah's fiercest critic, described his books as "trivial", replete with errors of fact, slovenly and inaccurate translations and even misspellings of Oriental names and words – "a muddle of platitudes, irrelevancies and plain mumbo-jumbo", adding for good measure that Shah had "a remarkable opinion of his own importance". Expressing amusement and amazement at the "sycophantic manner" of Shah's interlocutors in a BBC radio interview, Elwell-Sutton concluded that some Western intellectuals were "so desperate to find answers to the questions that baffle them, that, confronted with wisdom from 'the mysterious East,' they abandon their critical faculties and submit to brainwashing of the crudest kind". To Elwell-Sutton, Shah's Sufism belonged to the realm of "Pseudo-Sufism", "centred not on God but on man."
Doris Lessing, one of Shah's greatest defenders,stated in a 1981 interview: "I found Sufism as taught by Idries Shah, which claim
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 25, 2019
This book may appear to be an arbitrary anthology of writing connected to Sufism, but I think it is safe to say that it was published as a comprehensive response to the needs of Sufi teaching in the late twentieth century, and with content for future direction. Since Idries Shah’s death externals have changed, but the essence remains intact.
A speech given by David Pendlebury at a seminar in Afghanistan in 1977 includes these words, as true today as they were then:
‘If there is to be any improvement in the general condition of mankind, two factors seem to me to be of essential importance, and both of these happen to be of a psychological nature. Firstly there must be a ruthlessly realistic understanding of what man is and what his situation is. Practically all our problems in this world arise out of misconceptions concerning our own and others’ natures. Secondly, there must be a realistic, credible vision of a better state of affairs for mankind, lest the very realisation of our grim situation should drive us all to despair.’
I found ‘The World of the Sufi’ invaluable because it provided answers to questions for which I sought clarity. There is material in this book for people who are new to Shah’s work as well as for those who for years, perhaps decades, have relied on him and his family for guidance unavailable elsewhere. There are chapters on therapy, on Hindu thought and on Sufi practice. The writers include Doris Lessing and psychiatrist Arthur J Deikman. Nasrudin tales are popular for their wisdom cloaked in humour, and this book contains no less than forty-five adventures of Mulla Nasrudin. There is great humour too accompanying some of the very forthright things Shah writes.
A speech given by David Pendlebury at a seminar in Afghanistan in 1977 includes these words, as true today as they were then:
‘If there is to be any improvement in the general condition of mankind, two factors seem to me to be of essential importance, and both of these happen to be of a psychological nature. Firstly there must be a ruthlessly realistic understanding of what man is and what his situation is. Practically all our problems in this world arise out of misconceptions concerning our own and others’ natures. Secondly, there must be a realistic, credible vision of a better state of affairs for mankind, lest the very realisation of our grim situation should drive us all to despair.’
I found ‘The World of the Sufi’ invaluable because it provided answers to questions for which I sought clarity. There is material in this book for people who are new to Shah’s work as well as for those who for years, perhaps decades, have relied on him and his family for guidance unavailable elsewhere. There are chapters on therapy, on Hindu thought and on Sufi practice. The writers include Doris Lessing and psychiatrist Arthur J Deikman. Nasrudin tales are popular for their wisdom cloaked in humour, and this book contains no less than forty-five adventures of Mulla Nasrudin. There is great humour too accompanying some of the very forthright things Shah writes.
May 28, 2020
This beautiful new edition is a treasure-trove of learned essays about Sufis and their work, assembled by Idries Shah. It demystifies mysticism. It includes excerpts from the Arabian nights, jokes, works of the classical masters, Central Asian hypnotherapy; links to Eastern religions and magic, current study materials and more. It unveils an ancient many-sided and flexible tradition that perennially adapts itself to the time, the place and the people. A contemporary Sufi teacher writes, “Certain materials, certain experiences, certain kinds of grouping, certain exercises, have been used in certain manners and with various kinds of people, in accordance with cultural peculiarities, for thousands of years. These things stem from an ancient and intact knowledge. What the so-called followers of esoteric ideas take for religion, teaching and so forth are almost always tattered and generally inoperative remnants of this great science……” This is a book that challenges all kinds of assumptions, encourages you to observe your reactions and to think for yourself. Highly Recommended.
May 8, 2019
This book, first published some 40 years ago, has just been reissued in a handsome new format, that feels good to handle and read. It consists of some 30 or 40 essays and papers of varying length and of a huge variety. When I first read the book, I skipped the longer essays to enjoy the Nasrudin stories, the extracts from the Arabian Nights and the short pieces reporting individual experiences. I then read the introduction by Idries Shah and found new ways to understand the rest of the content. So for me it is a book to dip into and return to. One I particularly enjoy returning to us the essay by Peter Brent on the Classical Masters.
January 15, 2018
The Sikh scripture and living guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, contains several writings from Sufi saints. I picked this book up mostly looking to get a sense of Sufism outside of the Sikh lens. That is exactly what I got.
It's rare to find a collection of essays so insightful and penetrating that are also told mostly from the "inside" view of a religious tradition. For a book on so-called mysticism, it is acutely demystifying. The World of the Sufi dives deep into Sufi thought and probes the tradition for the essential truth beyond the external markers, however fascinating those may be to outsiders.
A later essay discusses the link between Sikhi and Sufism a bit simplistically, treating Sikhi as a passive receptor of Sufi influence. But of course, Sikhi is not the authors' area of expertise. This is the first book I would recommend to someone looking to learn more about the Sufi tradition.
It's rare to find a collection of essays so insightful and penetrating that are also told mostly from the "inside" view of a religious tradition. For a book on so-called mysticism, it is acutely demystifying. The World of the Sufi dives deep into Sufi thought and probes the tradition for the essential truth beyond the external markers, however fascinating those may be to outsiders.
A later essay discusses the link between Sikhi and Sufism a bit simplistically, treating Sikhi as a passive receptor of Sufi influence. But of course, Sikhi is not the authors' area of expertise. This is the first book I would recommend to someone looking to learn more about the Sufi tradition.
September 13, 2020
A compilation of texts, first published 1979, on sufism by about twenty different writers among whom are Doris Lessing, Arthur J. Deikman and what I believe are two pseudonyms: Arkon Daraul and Rustam Khan-Urff. All contribute with their certain angle to the description of Sufism: psychological, religious, historic, humorous (lots of Mulla Nasrudin-stories), scientific, literary, medical. A perfect introduction to the World of the Sufis, impossible to target with one label only.
From the book:
there must be a realistic, credible vision of a better state of affairs for mankind page 41
In the 10th century Abu Nasr Sarraj pointed out that extreme asceticism could be as debilitating to the spirit as luxury page 21
Fredric II, Holy Roman Emperor , had Al Gazzalis books translated into Latin in the 13th century page 23
John the Baptist is honored in the Middle East as a great Sufi master page 171
Guilt seem to lie at the root of every known mental illness page 191
Psychiatry do not provide meaning page 201
The science of awakening mankind has been present for many thousands of years page 209
Highly readable
From the book:
there must be a realistic, credible vision of a better state of affairs for mankind page 41
In the 10th century Abu Nasr Sarraj pointed out that extreme asceticism could be as debilitating to the spirit as luxury page 21
Fredric II, Holy Roman Emperor , had Al Gazzalis books translated into Latin in the 13th century page 23
John the Baptist is honored in the Middle East as a great Sufi master page 171
Guilt seem to lie at the root of every known mental illness page 191
Psychiatry do not provide meaning page 201
The science of awakening mankind has been present for many thousands of years page 209
Highly readable
October 1, 2021
Read it and see things on the sea floor.
'I don't want to be a man,' said a snake.
'If I were a man, who would hoard nuts for me?' asked the squirrel.
'People said the rat have such weak teeth that they can hardly do any gnawing.'
'And as for speed said a donkey, 'they can't run at all in comparison to me.'
A story from the section Sufism and Psychiatry by Arthur J Deikman. The World of The Sufi.
'I don't want to be a man,' said a snake.
'If I were a man, who would hoard nuts for me?' asked the squirrel.
'People said the rat have such weak teeth that they can hardly do any gnawing.'
'And as for speed said a donkey, 'they can't run at all in comparison to me.'
A story from the section Sufism and Psychiatry by Arthur J Deikman. The World of The Sufi.
August 29, 2024
Read it and see things on the sea floor.
'I don't want to be a man,' said a snake.
'If I were a man, who would hoard nuts for me?' asked the squirrel.
'People said the rat have such weak teeth that they can hardly do any gnawing.'
'And as for speed said a donkey, 'they can't run at all in comparison to me.'
A story from the section Sufism and Psychiatry by Arthur J Deikman.
'I don't want to be a man,' said a snake.
'If I were a man, who would hoard nuts for me?' asked the squirrel.
'People said the rat have such weak teeth that they can hardly do any gnawing.'
'And as for speed said a donkey, 'they can't run at all in comparison to me.'
A story from the section Sufism and Psychiatry by Arthur J Deikman.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews