The Principles of Sufism Qawaid Al Tasawwuf

The Principles of ¿¿fism (Qaw¿¿id al-Täawwuf) is a scholarly annotated translation of the celebrated classical work by A¿mad Zarr¿q (d. 899 AH / 1493 CE), one of the foremost jurist-mystics of the Maghrib.Zarr¿q's treatise presents 217 concise principles (qaw¿¿id) articulating the authentic foundations of ¿¿fism within the framework of Qur¿¿n, Sunnah, and the M¿lik¿ legal tradition. Far from presenting spirituality as detached from law, the work affirms the essential unity of fiqh, ¿aq¿dah, and i¿s¿n.The translation is accompanied by a substantial academic introduction examining:The historical and intellectual context of North African ¿¿fismThe life and legacy of A¿mad Zarr¿qThe development of ¿ar¿qahs in the MaghribThe literary structure and methodology of the Qaw¿¿idZarr¿q's principles address:The purification of the heartThe relationship between knowledge and actionThe necessity of adherence to jurisprudenceThe dangers of false spiritual claimsRespect for scholars and saintsProper transmission of spiritual knowledgeThe work proceeds systematically through sixteen sections, culminating in an epilogue and scholarly appendices.This volume is particularly suitable for students of Islamic spirituality, graduate programs in Islamic studies, and institutional libraries concerned with classical Sufi thought and its juridical foundations.