imported>GrahamHardy: first edition

2020-05-14T23:49:21Z

first edition

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{{infobox book
| name = ''The Way of the Sufi''
| author = [[Idries Shah]]
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom
| genre =Sufism
| published = 1968
| publisher = [[Jonathan Cape]]
| isbn =
| 
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image =TheWayOfTheSufi.jpg
| caption = First edition
| cover_artist =
| series =
| release_date =
| media_type = Print ([[Paperback]] & [[eBook]]). [[Audiobook]]
| pages =354
| oclc= 16228770
| preceded_by = [[Reflections (Sufi literature)|Reflections]]
| followed_by =[[The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin]]
}}

'''''The Way of the Sufi''''' was the best-selling follow-up introduction to [[Sufism]] by the writer [[Idries Shah]] after the publication of his first book on the subject, ''[[The Sufis]]''. Whereas ''The Sufis'' eschewed academic norms such as footnotes and an index, ''The Way of the Sufi'' provided a full section of notes and a bibliography at the end of its first chapter, entitled "The Study of Sufism in the West".

Shortly before he died, Shah stated that his books form a complete course that could fulfil the function he had fulfilled while alive. As such, ''The Way of the Sufi'' can be read as part of a whole course of study.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Shah
| first = Tahir
| authorlink = Tahir Shah
| title = In Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams
| publisher = Bantam
| year = 2008
| location = New York, NY
| pages = 215–216
| isbn = 0-553-80523-1}}</ref>

==Summary==
As in ''[[The Sufis]]'', Shah gave potted biographies of some of the best known Sufis of the ages, while adding brief descriptions of four of the major Sufi orders, or Tariqas: the [[Chishti Order|Chisti]] Order, [[Qadiriyyah|Qadiri]] Order, [[Suhrawardiyya|Suhrawardi]] Order and [[Naqshbandi]] Order. In addition there were a number of Sufi [[teaching stories]] as well as question-and-answer sessions with Sufi teachers. Continuing a theme from the previous book, Shah argued that Sufism had greatly influenced Western civilisation over the centuries, but that this had largely gone unrecognised, citing examples such as [[Chaucer]], [[Shakespeare]], the [[William Tell]] legend, the former [[United Nations]] secretary-general [[Dag Hammarskjoeld]] and the works of [[Sir Richard Burton]] amongst others. In the East, he also said that Sufism had influenced certain aspects of [[Hinduism]] as well as [[Zen Buddhism]].

==Reception==
The book was well received on publication, with the [[BBC]]'s ''The Critics'' programme declaring it an "outstanding book of the year".<ref>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| title = Amazon.com page on ''The Way of the Sufi''
| work =
| publisher =
| date =
| url = https://www.amazon.com/Way-Sufi-Penguin-Arkana/dp/0140192522
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2008-10-19}}</ref>
[[The New York Times]] also applauded the book, saying it was "like a door opening where one least expects it".<ref>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| title = Octagon Press page on ''The Way of the Sufi''
| work =
| publisher =
| date =
| url = http://www.octagonpress.com/titles/books/wasu.htm
| doi =
| accessdate = 2008-10-19}}</ref>
Writing in the British newspaper [[The Observer]], [[Nobel Prize]]-winning author [[Doris Lessing]] described it as "a key book".

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=45em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.idriesshahfoundation.org/ The Idries Shah Foundation]
*[http://www.idriesshahfoundation.org/books/the-way-of-the-sufi/ Free Online Read and Audiobook]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Way of the Sufi, The}}
[[Category:Sufi literature]]
[[Category:Books by Idries Shah]]
[[Category:1968 books]]
[[Category:Jonathan Cape books]]

The Way of the Sufi - Revision history

imported>GrahamHardy: first edition