Religion 311 - Love, Madness, Discipline: the Sufi Path In Islam

"Die before dying." "Set fire to heaven, and douse the fires of hell." "Be consumed by Love, until only the Beloved exists and you don't." "The perceptible world is like a mirage, veiling and disclosing the presence of the imperceptible Real." These are some of the aphorisms of Sufi Muslims who have sought a deeper relationship with the Divine or ultimate Reality. This course explores the contemplative, ascetic, and ecstatic practices through which Sufis pursued this goal and the philosophical, visionary, and poetical writings through which they expressed their devotion and speculation. Attention will be paid to the impact of Sufism on the religious practices, literary and artistic traditions, and social and political institutions of Islamic societies and cultures, from the pre-modern to the contemporary period.

This course is open to juniors and seniors