Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun on Sufism
Media records
Abstract
- Abstract
- en Ibn Khaldūn’s The Requirements of the Sufi Path, expertly translated by Carolyn Baugh, is not just a scholarly exploration of Sufism; it is a bridge between the mystical and the legal, a rare fusion of juristic precision and spiritual insight. In this work, Khaldūn steps into the role of a jurist to defend the Sufi tradition, weaving together the wisdom of Sufi masters like Imam al-Ghazālī andImam al-Qushayrī with his own legal acumen. What emerges is a compelling argument for the necessity of spiritual guidance, framed within the rigorous structure of Islamic law. This book, brought to life through Baugh’s careful translation, is not merely a historical artefact but a living dialogue between the heart’s mystical yearnings and the mind’s demand for order, a conversation as relevant today as it was in the 14th century. To fully appreciate the significance of this work, we must first understand the intellectual legacy of Ibn Khaldūn, whose contributions to human heritage remain unparalleled. In the following sections, we will explore the life and legacy of IbnKhaldūn, the art of translation that brings his voice to modern readers, and the profound insights this book offers into the Sufi Path.
Subjects
People & roles
- Author(s)
- Elbahlawan, Eslam
Origins & context
- Title
- Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun on Sufism
- Publication type
- Article
- Language
- English
- Journal
- The Journal of Social Encounters
- Year
- May 2025
- volume
- 9
- issue
- 1
- Page start
- 43
- Page end
- 50
- Status
- Peer reviewed
- Relation
- Multi-disciplinary Understanding of Legacy and Influence of Devotions (MULID). The Legacy of Sufism: A Study of Mulid Celebrations in Egypt
Rights & access
- Access Rights
- Open access
Identifiers & sources
- ISSN
- 2995-2212
Full text
- Full text
- The Journal of Social Encounters The Journal of Social Encounters Volume 9 Issue 1 The Continuing Saga of Darfur and Sudan Article 13 2025 Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun on Sufism Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun on Sufism Eslam ElBahlawan eslamalaa@hotmail.com Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/social_encounters Part of the African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, Anthropology Commons, History Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Islamic Studies Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Philosophy Commons, Political Science Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Recommended Citation ElBahlawan, Eslam (2025) "Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun on Sufism," The Journal of Social Encounters: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, 43-50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.69755/2995-2212.1327 Available at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/social_encounters/vol9/iss1/13 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License. The Journal of Social Encounters 43 Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun on Sufism Eslam Alaa ElBahlawan eslamalaa@hotmail.com An Analysis of the Requirements of the Sufi Path: A Defense of the Mystical Tradition by Ibn Khaldūn. Edited and translated by Carolyn Baug. 2022, New York: New York University Press, ISBN 9781479806331. Introduction Ibn Khaldūn’s The Requirements of the Sufi Path, expertly translated by Carolyn Baugh, is not just a scholarly exploration of Sufism; it is a bridge between the mystical and the legal, a rare fusion of juristic precision and spiritual insight. In this work, Khaldūn steps into the role of a jurist to defend the Sufi tradition, weaving together the wisdom of Sufi masters like Imam al-Ghazālī and Imam al-Qushayrī with his own legal acumen. What emerges is a compelling argument for the… Read the full text about 4,320 words
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