A New Text for the History of Sufism: Abū Manṣūr al-Iṣfahānī’s (d. 418/1027) Shawāhid al-taṣawwuf

What is it about?

This article introduces the Shawāhid al-taṣawwuf, a work previously thought lost, written by Abū Manṣūr al-Iṣfahānī (d. 418/1027). This work is multigeneric: it is at once a treatise on Sufism, a biographical dictionary, and an autobiographical account of Abū Manṣūr's travels in search of Sufi masters and their knowledge. The Shawāhid affords novel insight into the historical development and spread of Sufism during a pivotal time period of its emergence and formation.

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