Tuhfah-yi 'Abbasi - (Paperback)

About the Book

This book is one of the oldest and most important sources written on the esoteric teachings of Islam from a Shi'ite perspective. It demonstrates the Qur'anic origins of Sufism and its close relationship with Shi'ism. The book is based mainly on the teachings of the Qur'an, Had...

Book Synopsis

This book is one of the oldest and most important sources written on the esoteric teachings of Islam from a Shi'ite perspective. It demonstrates the Qur'anic origins of Sufism and its close relationship with Shi'ism. The book is based mainly on the teachings of the Qur'an, Hadith narrations of Shi'ite Imams, and the teachings of earlier Sufi masters. In this lies the uniqueness, authenticity, and strength of the book.

Tuhfah yi-' Abbasi is written in a typical prose style of the Safavid period and is replete with Arabic words and phrases. The difficulty and dryness of the style, however, is properly compensated by timely quotation of Prophetic traditions, narrations of the Shi'ite Imams, and Sufi poetry composed by 'Attar, Rumi, Hafiz, Mansur Hallaj, as well as the author.

This work conveys a universal message for all human beings, particularly at a time when Sufism and Shi'ism are misrepresented by pseudo-Sufis and extremist Shi'ite, and misunderstood by many readers in the Muslim world and in the West.

Review Quotes

Mohammad H. Faghfoory has rendered a great service in making available for the first time a work that is perhaps the most important Sufi text of the Safavid period. This book is of great value for students of Sufism, Shi'ism and Persian culture of the Safavid period in general.

Muslim scholars believe that purification of the soul is attainable through pursuing rigorous spiritual life and practices. This is the essential objective of esoteric Islam. In my opinion, Tuhfah yi 'Abbasi is the best book written on this subject from a Shi'ite perspective. It explains in simple language the details of spiritual journey and the processes that an aspiring wayfarer goes through to purify his soul and reach spiritual perfection.

Thanks to the diligence of Professor Mohammad H. Faghfoory, the translation of Tuhfah yi 'Abbasi (The Golden Chain of Sufism in Shi'ite Islam) long considered to be one of the most significant works on Sufism, provides us with a wealth of information concerning the practical and theoretical aspects of Sufism. This work was written during the Safavid period by one of the most illustrious proponents of gnosis, Shaykh Muhammad 'Ali Mu'adhdhin Sabzawari Khurasani. In the first part, an exquisite synopsis of the discursive aspects of the Sufi doctrine and its relationship with Shi'ism is presented and in the second part, specific practices of the practitioners of the Sufi path are discussed in some detail. I highly recommend this book to the students of Sufism, Islamic studies, Islamic intellectual thought and religious studies. It should be used as a text for Sufi studies for years to come.

About the Author

Mohammad H. Faghfoory teaches Islamic Studies at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. He has written/translated eight books, numerous articles and book reviews, and contributed book chapters.