[Asrar al-Tawhid]
By Mohammad Ebn-e Monavvar
Translator from the Persian by John O’Kane
This charming medieval biography of the 11th century Iranian antinomian Sufi Abu Sa‘id ibn
Abu’l-Khayr (967-1049 AD) stands out as one of the most unusual and engaging images
of a Sufi Shaikh in the history of Islamic mysticism. The ingenuity of the mystical feats
attributed to him and his pronounced antinomian character allow him to be portrayed as
behaving outrageously and with great panache in the face of the conservative religious
establishment. The accumulation of picturesque anecdotes, the direct, almost naive,
simplicity of the narrative style with its surprises and subtle humor, the remarkable
intimacy and humanity of the Shaikh’s personality justify ranking the Asrar al-Tawhid
as a great classic of Sufi literature. In addition, the variety of settings and wide range
of circumstantial detail make the book a rich source of medieval Islamic social and
cultural history.
Specifications:
Persian Heritage Series, No. 38
1992:vi + 665pp., notes, index.
Persian Heritage Series, No. 38
ISBN:0-939214-87-3(cloth): $55.00
Sa‘id ibn
Abu’l-Khayr (967-1049 AD) stands out as one of the most unusual and engaging images
of a Sufi Shaikh in the history of Islamic mysticism. The ingenuity of the mystical feats
attributed to him and his pronounced antinomian character allow him to be portrayed as
behaving outrageously and with great panache in the face of the conservative religious
establishment. The accumulation of picturesque anecdotes, the direct, almost naive,
simplicity of the narrative style with its surprises and subtle humor, the remarkable
intimacy and humanity of the Shaikh’s personality justify ranking the Asrar al-Tawhid
as a great classic of Sufi literature. In addition, the variety of settings and wide range
of circumstantial detail make the book a rich source of medieval Islamic social and
cultural history.
