The Origins and Development of Sufism
Michael Nazir-Ali
Routledge eBooks July 2, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781003711544-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | The work proposes to examine the experience and expressions of mysticism in Islam, particularly Sufism, acknowledging the tradition's own origins while reflecting on Sufism's relations to Neo-Platonism, Eastern Christian monasticism, and possibly Hindu and Buddhist mystical forms. |
Abstract
There is an inquiry here into the experience and expressions of mysticism within a particular religious tradition, that is, of Islam. While its origins within the tradition itself are duly acknowledged, there is also reflection on how Sufism has related to Neo-Platonism, Eastern Christian monasticism and, perhaps, even Hindu and Buddhist forms of mystical expression.