Studies on Sufism10 The Foundations of Sufism

This fresh translation and in-depth analysis of Ahmad Zarruq’s The Foundations of Sufism draws upon recently-discovered manuscripts, presenting the mediaeval scholar’s innovative thesis that theology, Islamic law and the spiritual path are not at odds with each other, but mutually complementary. Ahmad Zarruq, a 15th-century North African Sufi, turned his considerable intellect towards integrating theology, Islamic law and the spiritual path. His model of a jurisprudentially-grounded Sufism is as relevant today as when he presented it to a mediaeval audience, using an aphoristic style tailored to his educated readership. The current growth of puritanical movements in the Islamic world makes Zarruq’s The Foundations of Sufism a must-read for scholars, educators and those seeking to reconcile various interpretations of the faith. The author of this fresh translation, an Arabic and Classical Sufism scholar, consulted newly-discovered manuscripts in preparing his critical edition of this seminal work.