Religious Thought and Spirituality in Islam

This course is an introduction to Islamic spirituality with a focus on Sufism, often referred to as the “mystical” tradition of Islam. It offers a historical and topical survey of the tradition’s foundational beliefs, practices, and variegated expressions. The course will examine the rise of Sufi orders, the systematization of Sufi teaching and the evolution of theosophical dimensions of Sufism, and finally, the contribution of Sufism in the Islamic arts and literatures. A main concern is to foster an understanding of some of the stations and states experienced by the wayfarer on the spiritual path, as reflected in Sufi writings. Students will have the opportunity to peruse a variety of Sufi texts in translation from different cultural and linguistic zones.