Religion 283 - Sufism

This class will begin with an exploration of the origins and historical development of Sufism. The historical survey will trace the global development of Sufism during the first few hundred years after the birth of Islam. We will then read a number of classical treatises on Sufi metaphysics written by Ibn Arabi and Abdul Qadir Jilani before delving into the poetry of the Rumi, who is perhaps the best known of all Sufis. During the second half of the course, we will shift our attention to contemporary developments within South Asian Sufism, where significant events contributed greatly to Sufism from the medieval period onward. We will then move to study the establishment of Sufism in Europe and North America before ending the course with a reading of an autobiography of one particular Sufi shaykh who settled and died in the United States, whose shrine has now become a significant pilgrimage site. The aim of the course is to come to a deeper understanding of Sufism past and present by appreciating both its mystical and practical dimensions in the lives of many Muslims throughout the world.Spring semester.  Visiting Professor Korom.