How would it be, to enrich spirituality to a level that you never knew existed? To achieve nearness to God through intrinsic, soulful potential? That is exactly where Sufism comes in. To elaborate, Sufism is described as Islamic mysticism. Although in reality, it transcends being limited to a literal description. Achieving Sufism is feeling an otherworldly bond with God and surrendering wholeheartedly. To depict Sufism in mere words can be quite difficult, it ought to be achieved through practice. In order to make you acquainted with Sufism, we have listed the 5 best Sufism books.
The List of 5 Best Books on Sufism
Sufism is achieved through precious knowledge. And knowledge is best achieved through books. Below, we have meticulously selected and described the 5 best books on Sufism to enlighten you.
1. The Masnavi, Book One (Oxford World’s Classics) By Jalal al-Din Rumi (Author), Jawid Mojaddedi (Translator)
This revised book is the translation of a spiritual poem, Masnavi, written by the well-known Sufi Mystic Mawlana Rumi. Without a doubt, anyone who is into Sufism knows about the legendary poet. According to most of his readers, Rumi’s poetry delves into Islamic mysticism and resonates with the reader’s emotions and intrinsic feelings. In fact, Rumi is the most-read poet in the United States today. All this boils down to one thing: Rumi brought a significant change in the world of Sufism through his poetry.
On the contrary, most Muslims argue that modern-day translations have erased Islam from Rumi’s poems. This book translated by Jawid Mojaddedi aims at keeping the original verses of Rumi’s poetry alive. Hence allowing you to explore Sufi poetry in its raw form. It is a must-read for anyone on the lookout for a source of insightful Sufism.
2. Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam By A. Helwa
An excerpt from the book highlighted by readers on Amazon:
“It suddenly became clear to me that the whole purpose of faith is not to be “good enough” before we begin on the path to God, but to come with all our deficiencies to God, knowing that only He can fill in our gaps through His mercy.”
A.Helwa, an award-winning author, navigates her readers toward God’s all-encompassing love. Regardless of your religious background, this book allows you to have insightful Sufi knowledge and deepen your bond with God. The author’s approach to spirituality inspires you to embrace Islam at an inner level and create an intimate bond with Allah. On top of that, the book takes you through the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the mystical poet Rumi and others. Since the book is backed by scientific knowledge, modern science, and psychology, there is no reason to deny its credibility.
3. Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur’an, Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind By Imam Jamal Rahman
The writer of this book, Imam Jamal Rahman is passionate about helping people deepen their spirituality. The book enriches you with resourceful Sufi knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Since inclusivity is the nature of this book, it invites you to the treasures of Islamic mysticism regardless of your practice. It includes guidance from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and sufi poets like Rumi. Furthermore, the book breaks myths around Islam and embraces diversity. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, this book welcomes you to the world of Sufism.
4. Living Presence (Revised): The Sufi Path to Mindfulness and the Essential Self By Kabir Edmund Helminski
This book emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment through Sufism. It beautifully blends ancient Sufism and the needs we have in our lives today. According to the book, some parts of our creative mind stay in a dormant phase, and need to be activated. This book teaches you how to unfold the inner layers of your mind and experience the beauty of spirituality. The book provides extensive knowledge on:
- The balance between outer stimuli and our reactions
- Meditation
- Faithfulness
- Gracefulness
- Relating ancient spiritual wisdom and modern psychology
This inspirational book illuminates you with ancient Sufi knowledge applicable to modern minds.
5. Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart By Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee PhD
The author of this book is a Sufi teacher, so upon reading it, you get direct knowledge on Sufism. This detailed and descriptive book conveys spiritual concepts that work harmoniously. One of the readers has said that love pours from the book as you read it. Sufism, in reality, does focus a whole lot on love; love for God, for oneself, and for others. The book describes our inner nature intricately. Since it is easy to follow and read, the book caters to all audiences. To enlighten yourself on Sufism from a practical perspective, you need to check out this book.
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Conclusion
A quote from the famous poem Masnavi by Rumi is as follows:
“A jasper from a pearl you can distinguish
The day belief in your self you relinquish”.
We often lack belief in our own selves. Attaining Sufism is not impossible, one simply needs to believe in himself and plunge towards it. To sum things up, each book mentioned in our list of best Sufism books will take you a step forward towards Sufism and tirelessly provide the knowledge you need.