In Sufism: A Guide for the Perplexed, Elizabeth Sirreyeh explores key themes in the topic, clarifying a number of the most vital and complex issues in Sufism. The book draws upon both original Sufi materials and on recent specialist research, in addition to some earlier seminal studies.
Sufism has been a subject of considerable fascination for students of Religious Studies, Islamic Studies and Asian and African Area Studies. Yet it is often misunderstood, particularly in the present climate when those commonly described as 'Muslim fundamentalists' frequently condemn Sufism as unacceptable innovation and no part of Islam. The picture is further obscured by those looking anxiously for a moderate and peaceful version of Islam that might prove an ally in countering the 'fundamentalists', and especially radical jihadists, and hold up Sufism as such an ideal version, ignoring the historical record that includes eirenic, but also militant, Sufis. For a topic characterized by conflicting and confusing viewpoints, this book serves as an ideal companion to the study of Sufism and Islam. >