Esoteric Traditions in Islamic Thought: An Anthology of Texts on Esoteric Knowledge and Gnosis in Islam

By Leonard Lewisohn

Publisher: Oneworld Academic

Publication Date: September 12, 2024

Hardcover: 448 pages

ISBN: 9780861548644

The notion of esoteric knowledge is one of the pillars of Islamic intellectual tradition. Though most visible in Sufism, it also dominated the first three and a half centuries of Shi‘ite thought.

In this rich anthology, Leonard Lewisohn explores Islamic esotericism through the works of eleven authors who flourished in Persia, Central Asia and Asia Minor from the eleventh to the nineteenth centuries. He presents excerpts from each text in translation, accompanying these with introductions to the author’s life, works and thought. In the course of his erudite and enlightening commentary, he explores the common ground of esoteric thought and terminology, revealing a unity of perspective among Muslim thinkers.

About the Author

Leonard Lewisohn was Research Associate in Esoteric Traditions in Islam in the Department of Academic Research of the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London. He was the author, editor, and translator of many leading books and articles in the area of Sufism and lectured widely on the subject.

Reviews

• “A joy to read, a nourishment for the heart and mind, and for the specialist and non-specialist alike. The study of esotericism and what is called erfan in Iran desperately needed just this sourcebook … There was no better person than Lenny Lewisohn to put it together.” – Sajjad H. Rizvi, Professor of Islamic Intellectual History, University of Exeter
• “A remarkable collection of beautifully and clearly translated texts from the Islamic esoteric tradition, rendered with sensitivity and fluidity of expression from the original Arabic and Persian. In this work, published posthumously, Lewisohn demonstrates his nearly unparalleled mastery of Islamic esotericism and its literary expressions in both languages.” – Maria M. Dakake, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, George Mason University
• “Lewisohn gives us so much with this splendid collection of beautiful, perspicacious translations. There is no one of his generation who has contributed more to the study of Sufism and mysticism in Islam.” – Todd Lawson, Emeritus Associate Professor, University of Toronto

Source: Oneworld Publications

Author: Hatice Altundal-Erkmen

University: Indiana University

Date of Award: 2022

Abstract:

In this dissertation, Ms. Hatice Altundal-Erkmen focuses on (i) how the concept of modesty has been understood, interpreted, and practiced in Judaism and Islam by identifying similarities and differences and (ii) how Orthodox Jewish women and Muslim women perceive the concept of modesty in a secular society, America. She tackles the question of how Orthodox Jewish women and Muslim women in America make sense of modest dress code, where modest clothing, especially the practice of head covering, is seen largely as a sign of oppression, especially at the public level. More specifically, despite negative and orientalist representations of the concept of modesty embedded in American mainstream media and political discourse, religious women who embrace a modest dress code challenge stereotypical assumptions about and orientalist discourse on the practice of head covering. By using social media to be heard, they underscore that they dress modestly by choice, not by force. In doing so, they not only challenge popular assumptions, including that these women are forced to wear modest clothing, but also assert agency. In this study, she utilizes the concept of modesty because this term functions as an analytical framework to explore the connections and commonalities between two cultures and religions. She employs narrative analysis and discourse analysis in examining media texts, journals, news reports, blogs, and other digital platforms.  The author also provides historical context for both religions in America and their responses to modernity to explore the layers and complexities of understanding religious modesty in a secular setting and draw attention to an ever-growing diversity in the interpretation, meaning, and display of modesty among orthodox Jewish women and Muslim women.

Source: Proquest