2 papers in the library · publishing 2026
July 2, 2026 Michael Nazir-Ali
This opening chapter considers the nature of mysticism and asks whether it is, at base, the same, whatever its religious and cultural varieties, or whether there are different kinds of mystical experience which are distinct and different from one another. In this respect views on both sides are discussed, but there is a preference for Western, Muslim and Eastern Christian scholars who...
July 2, 2026 Michael Nazir-Ali
Mystical experience in Rumi is compared to the directness of sight. It is not just about words. It is about knowing the Beloved. It is also compared to smelling a delightful aroma, and its interior or ‘heart’ aspect is emphasised. The Sufi’s pilgrimage is not merely an external destination but a journey inwards. It is there that God is found. In the Mathnawi , at least, he does not completely...