The Principles of Sufism

Letter from the General Editor

Letter from the General Editor The Library of Arabic Literature is a new series offering Arabic editions and English translations of key works of classical and pre-modern Arabic literature , as well as anthologies and thematic readers. Books in the series are edited and translated by distinguished scholars of Arabic and Islamic studies, and are published in parallel-text format with Arabic and English on facing pages. The Library of Arabic Literature includes texts from the pre-Islamic era to the cusp of the modern period, and encompasses a wide range of genres, including poetry, poetics, fiction, religion, philosophy, law, science, history, and historiography. Supported by a grant from the New York University Abu Dhabi Institute, and established in partnership with NYU Press, the Library of Arabic Literature produces authoritative Arabic editions and modern, lucid English translations, with the goal of introducing the Arabic literary heritage to scholars and students, as well as to a general audience of readers‎ . Philip F. Kennedy General Editor, Library of Arabic Literature ‫ب‬ �‫ا‬�‫ت‬ ��‫ك‬ � �� ‫ب‬ � َ ‫ت‬ �� ُ ‫ر‬‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ل‬� � ‫و‬� ُ ‫ص‬� � ُ ‫أ‬ � ‫ي‬ � ‫ف‬ � � � ‫ب‬ � َ‫خ‬� � َ‫ت‬ � ْ‫ن‬ �� ُ ‫م‬ ‫ل‬ � ‫ا‬ ‫ف‬ � � �ّ ‫و‬�‫ص‬� �‫ت‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ � ‫ل‬��‫ع‬� � ‫ي‬ � ‫ف‬ � � � ‫ة‬ ��ّ ‫ي‬� �‫ن‬��‫و‬�‫ع‬ � ‫ا‬�‫ب‬ �‫ل‬� � ‫ا‬ ‫ة‬ ��‫ش‬� ��� ‫ئ‬ �‫ا‬�‫ع‬ � New York University Press New York and London The Principles of Sufism ʿĀʾishah al-Bāʿūniyyah Edited and translated by Th. Emil Homerin NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London Copyright © 2014 by New York University All rights reserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bāʿūnīyah, ʿĀʾishah bint Yūsuf, -1516 or 1517. ‎ [Muntakhab fī uṣūl al-rutab fī ʿilm al-taṣawwuf. English] The principles of sufism / ʿAʾishah al-Bāʿūniyyah. pages cm Edited and translated by Th. Emil Homerin--ECIP data. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8147-4528-1 (hardback) -- ISBN 978-0-8147-4516-8 (e-book) -- ISBN 978-08147 -2916-8 (e-book) 1. Sufism--Early works to 1800 I. Homerin, Th. Emil, 1955-, translator . II. Title. BP188.9.B39 2014 297.4’1--dc23 2013025648 New York University Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and their binding materials are chosen for strength and durability. Series design by Titus Nemeth. Typeset in Tasmeem, using DecoType Naskh and Emiri. Typesetting and digitization by Stuart Brown. Manufactured in the United States of America c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In memory of Farouk Mustafa dedicated teacher, master translator, respected colleague, and a very kind man “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” Thomas Campbell This page intentionally left blank ...