The "Doctrine of Love" in 'Abd Allāh al-Ansārī's Manāzil al-sā'irīn with Critical Paraphrase of 'Abd al-Razzāq Kāshānī's Commentary

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article represents a preliminary inquiry into a little known and understudied commentarial tradition upon 'Abd Allāh al-Ansārī's classic work on the stations of Sufism, the Manāzil al-sāirīn (Stations of the Wayfarers). After briefly taking stock of the considerably late commentarial tradition which this important text engendered, we will take as our case study one of the Manāzil 's key topics, namely its sixty-first chapter on the station of love. This pivotal section on love gives profound insight into early Sufism and into the minds of two of its greatest exponents. Ansārī discusses the station of love in detail, as he does with every chapter, in three aspects, each pertaining to the three types of wayfarers: the initiates, the elect, and the foremost of the elect. Then, we shall turn our attention to perhaps the most important Sufi commentary upon this work by an important follower of the school of Ibn al-Arabī, Abd al-Razzāq Kāshānī, offering a guided reading of his commentary upon Ansarī's chapter on love in the Manāzil. A complete English translation of this chapter will be offered and appropriately contextualized.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)140-155
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Sufi Studies
Volume5
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • 'Abd al-Razzāq Kāshānī
  • 'Abd Allāh Ansārī
  • himma (aspiration)
  • mahabba (love)
  • Manāzil al-sāirīn
  • mysticism
  • philosophy
  • spiritual wayfaring
  • Sufism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cultural Studies
  • History
  • Religious studies
  • Philosophy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The "Doctrine of Love" in 'Abd Allāh al-Ansārī's Manāzil al-sā'irīn with Critical Paraphrase of 'Abd al-Razzāq Kāshānī's Commentary'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this