REL 233 Islamic Mysticism: The Sufis (Not offered 1997-98; to be offered 1998-99)*
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Studying Sufism, the mystical tradition of Islam, is an excellent introduction 
to the Muslim world. The Sufis represent a delightful and many-faceted spiritual 
tradition that both enriches and criticizes orthodox Islam. This course will 
explore the origins of Sufism in the ascetic and revolutionary piety of the 
early Islamic community; the systematization of the Sufi path to God; Sufi 
themes in art and poetry; the development of the Sufi orders and techniques 
of ecstasy, both at high and popular levels. We will read in the classics of 
Sufi poetry and thought, including Rumi, Attar, Suhrawardi, and Ghazali; we 
will also explore the Sufi theosophy of Ibn Arabi.
Requirements: two 5- to 7-page papers based on the readings in class and a 
final exam. Lecture and discussion.
Open to all classes without prerequisite.
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	DARROW
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