Our list of some of the best Sufism books & series in recent years. Get inspired by one or more of the following books.
- Essential Sufism (1999)
- The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism, Islam’s Mystical Tradition (2008)
- The Sufi Book of Life: 99 Pathways of the Heart for the Modern Dervish (2005)
- Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart (1995)
- Sufism and Taoism: A Comparative Study of Key Philosophical Concepts (2016)
- Al-Ghazali’s Path to Sufism: His Deliverance from Error (al-Munqidh min al-Dalal) (2000)
- The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (2007)
- Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure (2003)
- Sufism: An Introduction to the Mystical Tradition of Islam (2011)
- Grand Masters of Sufism: Abdul Qadir Geylani, Secret of Secrets and Ahmed er Rifai, Guidance to Mysticism (2008)
- Sufism: A Beginner’s Guide (2007)
- The Principles of Sufism (Library of Arabic Literature) (2016)
- The Heart of Sufism: Essential Writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan (1999)
Essential Sufism (1999)
The definitive compendium of Sufi wisdom, ‘Essential Sufism’ draws together more than three hundred fables, poems and prayers that reveal the luminous spirit of Islamic mysticism. Embracing all eras and highlighting the many faces of Sufism, this colle
The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism, Islam’s Mystical Tradition (2008)
The headlines are filled with the politics of Islam, but there is another side to the world’s fastest-growing religion. Sufism is the poetry and mysticism of Islam. This mystical movement from the early ninth century rejects worship motivated by the desire for heavenly reward or the fear of punishment, insisting rather on the love of God as the only valid form of adoration.
The Sufi Book of Life: 99 Pathways of the Heart for the Modern Dervish (2005)
Part meditation book, part oracle, and part collection of Sufi lore, poetry, and stories, offers a fresh interpretation of the fundamental spiritual practice found in all ancient and modern Sufi schools—the meditations on the 99 Qualities of Unity. Unlike most books on Sufism, which are primarily collections of translated Sufi texts, this accessible guide is a handbook that explains how to apply Sufi principles to modern life.
Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart (1995)
Sufism, the Transformation of the Heart gives a clear and accessible outline of Sufism: its basic principles, historical background, and recent development in the West. While exploring the spiritual and psychological processes of transformation, this book offers practical guidelines to help the seeker.
Sufism and Taoism: A Comparative Study of Key Philosophical Concepts (2016)
In this deeply learned work, Toshihiko Izutsu compares the metaphysical and mystical thought-systems of Sufism and Taoism and discovers that, although historically unrelated, the two share features and patterns which prove fruitful for a transhistorical dialogue.
Al-Ghazali’s Path to Sufism: His Deliverance from Error (al-Munqidh min al-Dalal) (2000)
This text has long been recognized as not only an Islamic classic, but also as a great spiritual autobiography of one of the world’s greatest religious thinkers. It is the narrative of how one dedicated seeker of true knowledge and salvation, having probed various systems of thought and differing paths of learning and enlightenment, discovered the peace of the inner life and discipline of mystical spirituality.
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (2007)
What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover inner peace and serenity? The Untethered Soul offers simple yet profound answers to these questions.Whether this is your first exploration of inner space or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you.
Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure (2003)
The luminous presence of women who follow the Sufi Way—the mystical path of Islam—is brought to life here through their sacred songs and poetry, their dreams and visions, and stories of their efforts as they witness the Truth in many realms. These writings reflect the honor and respect for the feminine in the Sufi worldview, and they are shared in the spirit of inspiration and hope for the flourishing contributions of women to the spiritual development of humanity.
Sufism: An Introduction to the Mystical Tradition of Islam (2011)
The Sufis are as diverse as the countries in which they’ve flourished—from Morocco to India to China—and as varied as their distinctive forms of art, music, poetry, and dance. They are said to represent the mystical heart of Islam, yet the term Sufism is notoriously difficult to define, as it means different things to different people both within and outside the tradition.
Grand Masters of Sufism: Abdul Qadir Geylani, Secret of Secrets and Ahmed er Rifai, Guidance to Mysticism (2008)
Grand Masters of Sufism brings together in one volume two paramount texts from two of the most influential shaykhs in the history of Sufism. Abdul Qadir Geylani’s Secret of Secrets and Ahmed er Rifai’s Guidance to Mysticism present key concepts of the Sufi path in profound detail and can each stand alone as a work of unparalleled authority.
Sufism: A Beginner’s Guide (2007)
William C. Chittick, the leading scholar in the field, offers a compelling insight into the origins, context, and key themes of this fascinating movement.
The Principles of Sufism (Library of Arabic Literature) (2016)
‘A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah of Damascus was one of the great women scholars in Islamic history. Born into a prominent family of pious scholars and Sufi devotees, ‘A’ishah received a thorough religious education and memorized the Quran at age eight. A mystic and a prolific poet and writer, she composed more works in Arabic than any other woman before the 20th century.
The Heart of Sufism: Essential Writings of Hazrat Inayat Khan (1999)
The Indian Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882-1927) was the very first teacher to bring Sufism to the Western world. This is the first representative collection of the master’s teachings – making it the perfect book for anyone who has been intrigued by his writings but unsure about where to start in his sixteen-volume collected works.
Best Sufism Books Worth Your Attention
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some sufism books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Philosophical Sufism: An Introduction to the School of Ibn al-ʿArabī
Author(s): Mukhtar H. Ali
ID: 3009216, Publisher: Routledge, Year: 2021, Size: 7 Mb, Format: pdf
From the Greeks to the Arabs and Beyond Volume 3: From God’s Wisdom to Science. A. Islamic Theology and Sufism B. History of Science
Author(s): Hans Daiber; Helga Daiber
ID: 3047305, Publisher: Brill, Year: 2021, Size: 7 Mb, Format: pdf
Lovers of God. Sufism and the Politics of Islam in Medieval India
Author(s): Raziuddin Aquil
ID: 2520312, Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Year: 2020, Size: 17 Mb, Format: pdf
Please note that this booklist is not absolute. Some books are really best-sellers according to Washington Post, others are drafted by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant books you could recommend? Leave a comment if you have any feedback on the list.