Sufism is often overlooked in scholarly consideration of the politics of the Muslim world. The articles comprising this volume consolidate thinking about the political dimension of Sufism and offer new horizons for scholarly reflection on the role of Sufism in Muslim society. Sufism has been an active player in defining the societal nature of Islam, no less than its theological nature, and this volume underscores the way in which Sufism has played that role while adapting itself to changing political considerations. Issues include authority and institutional interests; the moral good and the state; patronage, power, and the competitive politics of sainthood; theological assessments of the value of the world, justice, and conceptions of civil society as seen through the eyes of Sufism. This volume casts further light on an important and influential side of the ongoing debate within Islam over the purposes of politics alongside its realities.