Western Sufism: From the Abbasids to the New Age

Often dismissed as a recent "new age" trend, Western Sufism has much deeper roots, intertwined with both Islamic and Western traditions. In Western Sufism, Mark Sedgwick uncovers the profound historical connections that span from late antique Neoplatonism to contemporary Western interest in Sufism.

Sedgwick begins with the earliest Western engagement with Sufi thought, tracing its origins back to 1480 and the intellectual exchanges that occurred as early as the thirteenth century. He explores the influence of Neoplatonism and early Arab philosophy on Western thought, and how these ideas were reinterpreted during the Renaissance and Enlightenment.

The book then delves into the development of organized Western Sufism from 1915 to 1968, culminating in the establishment of the first Western Sufi order based on purely Islamic models. Sedgwick reveals how Western Sufism is shaped by various philosophical and religious movements, including perennialism, pantheism, universalism, and esotericism.

Western Sufism demonstrates that this phenomenon is not a fleeting new age trend but a rich tapestry woven from centuries of intercultural exchanges. Using a wide range of sources, from antiquity to the modern digital age, Sedgwick provides a comprehensive exploration of Western Sufism as part of a long-standing dialogue between Western thought and Islamic traditions.

Paper Back

Author: John McHugo

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