Contents: Vol. I: An Introduction to Sufism: Origin, Philosophy & Development : Preface. 1. Sufism: origin and earliest sects. 2. The philosophy of Sufism: significance, history and teachings. 3. Conceptions of Sufism. 4. Development of Sufism. 5. Main orders of Sufism. 6. The Sufi Saintship. 7. The path of Sufism. 8. Sufism in India. 9. Reality of existence. 10. The origin of religious orders. 11. Value of poverty in Sufism. 12. The Sufi Gnostic system. 13. The spiritual experiences. 14. Place of music in Sufism. 15. Sufism and Indian thought. 16. Sufism in Islam and its fall. 17. Is religion possible with Sufism? 18. Relating to early Silsilas. 19. Sufis, Malamatis, and Qalandaris. 20. Minor orders of Sufism. 21. Sufi Saints in India: a chronology. Appendix. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. II: Sufism: Tenets, Orders & Saints : Preface. I. Sufism: tenets & orders: 1. Introduction. 2. What is Sufism? 3. The Qadiri Order. 4. Other orders. 5. Minor Sufi fraternities. 6. Sufism and speculative elements. 7. Travel-traveller-guide. 8. Worship (‘Ibadat) in Islam. 9. Transcendence and immanence. 10. Chief features of Sufi practice. 11. Sufism and Hinduism. 12. "Tanazzulat" the descent of the absolute. 13. Sufism reviewed. II. Sufis: the divine dwellers of desert: 14. Sufism in Sindh. 15. Shah Latif. 16. Sachal. 17. Some other mystics of Sindh Bekas. 18. Some more mystics. 19. Hazrat Qaulandar Lal Shahbaz of Sehwan-Sharif: a great saint, scholar and Mujahid of Sind. 20. Historical importance of Sehwan-Sharif. 21. Mystical importance of Sehwan-Sharif. 22. Re-development of Sehwan-Sharif. 23. Archaeological importance of Sehwan-Sharif. 24. Hazrat Qalandar Lal Shahbaz: his geneology and mystical path (Tariqat). 25. Hazrat Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari. 26. Hazrat Imam Abu Hamid Mohammad Bin Mohammad Al-Ghazzali. 27. Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi. 28. Ghouz-Ul-Azam Hazrat Syed Abdul Qadir Al-Gaylani. 29. Hazrat Rabia Al-Adwiyya Basri. 30. Hazrat Abu Mughith Al-Hussain Bin Mansur Al Hallaj. 31. Hazrat Syed Hafiz Haji Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Jullabi Al-Hajweri. Appendix. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. III: Sufism in India : Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Reflection on early Sufism. 3. The Chishti Order of Sufism. 4. The Suhrawardiyya and the Firdawsiyya Silsilas. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. IV: Chisti Order of Sufism & Miscellaneous Literature : Preface. 1. The history of Islam: a view. 2. The Chisti fraternity and its sub-sections. 3. Philosophy of Sufism and its brilliant role in Islam. 4. The Chishti Order. 5. Hazrat Khwaja Khwajgan Syed Muinuddin Hasan Chisti Ajmeri. 6. Khwaja Muinuddin’s genealogy and childhood. 7. Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti: personality and travels. 8. Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti: the Khalifa. 9. Political conditions of India before the arrival of Khwaza Chisti. 10. Khwaja Saheb at Ajmer. 11. Blessings of Khwaja Muinuddin on Shahabuddin Ghauri. 12. Family life and death. 13. Descendants of Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin. 14. Memorable miracles (Karamaat) of Khwaja Muinuddin. 15. Gems of wisdom: Khwaja Muinuddin’s select letters to his disciples. 16. Gems of wisdom: ethical sayings of Khwaja Saheb. 17. Ajmer and Dargah of Khwaja Saheb. 18. The Chishti Order in the West. 19. Significance of Sama or "Qawwali" and its deterioration at Khwaja Saheb’s Dargah. 20. Administration of the Dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Saheb. 21. Religion and daily life. 22. The poetry of light. 23. The journey to immortality from other mystic tradition. 24. The unity of God and spiritual attainments. 25. Dawud al-Ta’i. 26. Al-Mohasebi. 27. Ahmad ibn Harb. 28. Hatem al-Asamm. 29. Sahl ibn Abd Allah al-Tostari. 30. Ma’ruf al-Karkhi. 31. Sari al-Saqati. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. V: Some Prominent Sufi Saints : Preface. 1. Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin’s initiation and death of his ‘Pir-o-Murshid’. 2. Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin’s permanent stay in Ajodhan. 3. Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin’s ‘Mujahedas’ and ‘Riyazaat’ (spiritual practices). 4. Character of Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin. 5. Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin’s knowledge and wisdom. 6. Miracles (Karmaat) of Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin. 7. Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin’s descendants and Sajjadanashins. 8. Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin’s death. 9. "Malfoozaat" and teachings of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masood. 10. Hazrat "Makhdoom-ul-Aalam" Sheikh Bahauddin Zakaria Suhrawardi of Multan. 11. Taj-Ul-Aulia Hazrat Khwaja Makhdoom Ali Ahmed Aallauddin Saabir of Kalyar. 12. Arrival of Hazrat Ali Ahmed "Saabir" at Hansi: his education and "Mujahedas" -- deaths of Hazrat Baba Farid’s three sons. 13. Hazrat Ali Ahmed Sabir’s marriage--bride reduced to ashes--death of his mother. 14. Grand miracles of Hazrat Allauddin Sabir. 15. Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Ahmed Sabir’s death. 16. Hazrat Allauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir’s mausoleum: permission for entry in Kalyar after 200 years. 17. Hazrat Ali Ahmed Sabir’s deputation to Kalyar. 18. Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia. 19. Hazrat Nizamuddin’s stay in Delhi. 20. Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia and Amir Khusro. 21. Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia’s death. 22. Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia’s descendants. 23. Few miracles of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. 24. Teaching, ‘Malfoozaat’ and Khalifas of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. 25. Khwaja Hasan Nizami and the story of Rajkumar Hardev’s devotion to Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia. 26. Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and his noble character. 27. Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia’s triumph over the Sultans of Delhi. 28. Hazrat Khwaja Nasiruddin Mahmood, "Chiragh" of Delhi: life story. 29. Hazrat Nasiruddin’s meeting with Hazrat Qutubuddin Munawwar. 30. Hazrat Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki of Delhi: a life sketch. 31. Hazrat Khwaja Qutubuddin’s life and work in Delhi. 32. Life story of Shaikh-ush Shayookh-e-Aalam Hazrat Khwaja Fariduddin Massood Ganj Shakar. 33. Sufism in Europe and America: invaluable work of Hazratpir Inayat Khan of Baroda. 34. Malek ibn Dinar. 35. Habib al-Ajami. 36. Rabe’a al-Adawiya. 37. Al-Fozail ibn Iyaz. 38. Ebrahim ibn Adham. 39. Beshr ibn al-Hareth. 40. Dho ‘I-Nun al-Mesri. 41. Abu Yazid al-Bestami. 42. Abd Allah ibn al-Mobarak. 43. Sofyan al-Thaun. 44. Shaqiq of Balkh. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. VI: Sufism & Suhrawardi Order : Preface. 1. Early Sufis-I. 2. Early Sufis-II. 3. ‘Abd Al-Qadir Jilani and Shihab Al-Din Suhrawardi. 4. Shihab Al-Din Suhrawardi Maqtul. 5. Suhrawardi and the illuminationists. 6. Ibn ‘Arabi. 7. Ibn ‘Arabi and the Sufis. 8. The life of Ibn ‘Arabi. 9. Ibn ‘Arabi and Islamic philosophy. 10. The nature of Ibn ‘Abrabi’s doctrine. 11. Themes in Ibn ‘Arabi’s philosophy. 12. Ibn Arabi’s texts. 13. A selection from Tarjumanu al-Ashwaq. 14. Syedna Hazrat Hafiz Haji Warris Ali Shah of Deva-Sharif. 15. Hazrat Taj-ul-Aulia Baba Syed Mohammad Chisti Sabri Qalandar Nagpuri. 16. Hazrat Syed Hafiz Haji Shah Sheikh Farid Ganjshakr Baba Sahib Masood Al-Alameen, Qutub-e-Alam, Sultan-Al-Mashaik. 17. The Suhrawardi Order. 18. The sub-divisions of the Suhrawardi Order. 19. Suhrawardi and the being of light philosophy of Ishraq. 20. Shaikhul Mashaikh Hazrat Makhdum Ghazi Shaikh Jalaluddin Mujjarad Suharwardy Yemani Sylheti. 21. Hazrat Bu-Ali Shah Sharfuddin Qalandar. 22. Hazrat Syedna Makhdoom Ahmed Ali Alauddin Sabr Kalyari. 23. Al-Ghazzali with special reference to his inner development. 24. The relation of knowledge and morality in the ethical system of Al-Ghazzali. 25. An exposition of Al Ghazzali’s views on the problem of the freedom of the will. 26. Suhrawardi Maqtul’s philosophical position according to the works of his youth. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. VII: Basic Principles of Sufism in Islam : Preface. 1. Mysticism in Islam. 2. Schools of mysticism: origin and evolution. 3. Sufism in Islam and practices of the prophet. 4. Sufi tendencies among the companions of the prophet. 5. The chief Tariqa lines. 6. Tariqah and Shari’ah. 7. The formation of Ta’ifas. 8. Nineteenth-century revival movements. 9. The Sufism and theosophy of the orders. 10. Organization of the Sufi orders. 11. Ritual and ceremonial. 12. Role of the orders in the life of Islamic society. 13. Orders in the contemporary Islamic world. 14. Development of present Sufi doctrines. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. VIII: Great Sufi Saints: Sarmad & Bawa Muhaiyaddeen : Preface. I. Sufi Sarmad: life and teachings: 1. Sufi Sarmad: life and philosophy. 2. Preachings of Sufi Sarmad. II. Sufi Bawa Muhaiyaddeen: his life & philosophy: 3. Sufi mystic Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. 4. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen: preachings. 5. Sayings of Bawa. 6. Questions and answers. 7. Bawa on secrets of the soul. 8. Dialogues with Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. 9. Beyond form. 10. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. IX: Early Sufi Literature : Preface. 1. Abu Sa’id Ibn Abi ‘L-Khayr. 2. The perfect man. 3. The poetry of wine. 4. Hakim Abu’l-Majd Majdud Sana I. 5. Ibnal-‘Arabi. 6. Ibnal-‘Farid 1182-1235 A.D. 7. Farid Al-Din Attar. 8. Rabi’a of Basra--Hallaj and the perfect man. 9. Al-Husayn Ibn Mansur Al-Hallaj. 10. A legacy of Hallaj--the perfect man. 11. The odes of Ibnu ‘L-Farid. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. X: Sufism in South India & Punjab : Preface. I. Sufism in Punjab: 1. Introduction. 2. Shah Hussair. 3. Sultan Bahu. 4. Ali Haider. 5. Sain Bulleh Shah. 6. Khwaja Ghulam Farid. 7. Some lesser known Sufi poets. II. Sufism in South India: 8. South India at the time of coming of Islam. 9. Sufis as warriors. 10. Later settlement of Sufis in Bijapur. 11. Bijapur under Sultans ‘Ali ‘Adil Shah-I and Ibrahim ‘Adil Shah-II. 12. Sufis as social reformers. 13. Sufis as scholars. 14. Sufis of the late Adil Shahi period. 15. Sufis as landed elites. 16. Sufis as dervishes. 17. Summary and conclusion. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.
Vol. XI: Early Sufi Masters: Sharafuddin Maneri and Abdullah Ansari : Preface. I. Sharafuddin Maneri: 1. Sharafuddin Maneri: life sketch. 2. Reminiscences of Maneri. II. Select letters: 3. Selected letters. III. Abdullah Ansari : the early Sufi master: 4. Abdullah Ansari: life sketch. 5. Selections from the works of ‘Abdullah Ansari of Herat (1006-1089 CE). Bibliography. Index.
Vol. XII: Sufism and Naqshbandi Order : Preface. I. Naqshbandi Order of Sufism: 1. The Naqshbandi Order--I. 2. The Naqshbandi Order--II. 3. The Naqshbandi Order--III. 4. The Naqshbandi Order--IV. II. Al-Ghazzali: 5. Al-Ghazzali on the vision of God. 6. Al-Ghazzali’s approach to ultimate reality. 7. Idea of love in the philosophy of Al-Ghazzali. 8. Al-Ghazzali on child education. III. Ruzbihan Baqli: 9. The tradition of Ruzbihan Baqli. 10. The inner structure of sainthood. 11. Institutionalizing a Sufi Order. IV. Miscellaneous: 12. Ahmad ibn Khazruya. 13. Yahya ibn Mo’adh. 14. Shah ibn Shoja’. 15. Yusof ibn al-Hosain. 16. Abu Hafs al-Haddad. 17. Abo ‘I-Qasem al-Jonaid. 18. Amr ibn Othman. 19. Abu Sa’id al-Kharraz. 20. Abu ‘I-Hosain al-Nuri. 21. Abu Othman al-Hiri. 22. Ibn Ata. 23. Somnun. 24. al-Termedhi. 25. Abu Bakr al-Kattani. 26. Ibn Khafif. 27. Al-Hallaj. 28. Ebrahim al-Khauwas. 29. al-Shebli. Bibliography. Index.
"Conventionally the word "sufi" is considered synonymous with the word "mystic". But the word "sufi", as used in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu, has a religious connotation.
The Sufis claim to have inherited their doctrines direct from the teachings of the holy prophet, who, strictly speaking, has given no dogmatic or mystical theology.
The classical Sufism of the early brotherhoods was strong on simple, straightforward faith in Islamic theology, personal devotion to God and trust (tawakkul) in Him under all conditions, personal loyalty to the prophet of Islam and allegiance to the Qur’an and the Shari’at. The faith was accompanied by the practice of a well-controlled ascetic life and in many cases meant renunciation of the world. Then followed the Khanqah stage and concentration, between A.D. 1100 and 1400, on the creation of the Silsilah-Tariqah system, its organization, its rules of conduct and the writings of handbooks both on esoteric doctrine and on the Sufi path. During its historical development it gathered elements and characteristics from the intellectual and cultural climate of the region concerned which transformed it into a bourgeois and later a mass movement of wide acceptance.
The fundamental of Sufism is God, man and the relation between them, which is love. The whole sufi theosophy revolves on these three pivots.
The present work organised in 12 volumes, is designed to bring together the valuable information on Sufism, its doctrines and preachings, main orders, prominent Sufi saints, their life and teachings, etc. The information is drawn from various authoritative sources. The primary purpose of this work is to serve as a basic handbook on significant topics of Sufism.
No doubt, this work will prove of utmost value to the scholars and laymen alike who wish to have detailed look into Sufism." (jacket)
