Bringing together more than three hundred stories, fables, aphorisms, short meditations, and poem that capture the essence of Sufism, this work contains the work of Ibn Arabi, Al-Ghazzali, Fafiz, Attar, and of course, Rumi. Reprint. The first accessible and broad-ranging sourcebook of key Sufi writings, "Essential Sufism" draws together more than 300 stories, fables, aphorisms, short writings, and poems that reveal the heart of Islamic mysticism. 23 drawings of Islamic calligraphy. Foreword ix Huston Smith Introduction 1(34) Sheikh Ragip Robert Frager al Jerrahi PART ONE The Many Faces of Sufism The Sufi Way 35(10) PART TWO Living in the World Daily Life 45(12) Self-Deception and Self-Knowledge 57(8) The Lower Self 65(8) The World, Mirror of the Divine 73(6) Wisdom 79(8) Hadith, the Words of the Prophet 87(8) PART THREE Love and an Open Heart Spiritual Experience 95(6) Opening the Heart 101(6) Contemplation and Knowledge 107(6) Love 113(14) PART FOUR Sufi Teachers Teachers and Students 127(24) PART FIVE Sufism in Action Practices 151(10) Sufi Humor 161(10) Virtues 171(26) Faith 171(3) Humility 174(4) Gratitude 178(2) Poverty 180(3) Patience 183(2) Generosity 185(12) PART SIX In Touch with the Divine How to Know God 197(6) Prayer 203(6) Remembrance of God 209(8) Service 217(10) PART SEVEN Faces of the One God 227(8) Satan 235(8) PART EIGHT Transformation Self-Transformation 243(8) Death 251(6) A Note on the Texts and Calligraphy 257(2) Bibliography 259(4) Permission Acknowledgments 263