Religion/Philosoohy
TheSufis
ldriesShah
bookon
responsible
Ihe SuÍlsis the first authoritative,
gap in WesterndocuSuÍism,and as suchit fills a colossal
a mysticalteachlng
subiects.Following
mentation
of Eastern
thoughlargely
and a wayof liÍe that has hadan enormous,
impacton both the Eastand west Íor four
unrecognized,
years,the SuÍisbelievethatthelrsis nota religion,
thousand
evolution,
consc/ous
Thisbeliefincludes
butthatit ls religion,
new
can
originate
will
man
an
efÍort
of
wherebythrough
are
andprophecy
Íaculties-theÍacultiesof mentaltelepathy
in the limitSufis thereforebelieveultimately
examples-and
Sufismis the seof man.To its followers,
lessperfectability
systems.
and philosophical
crettraditionbehlndall religious
"the naturalSufi
RobertGravessaysin his introduction,
may be as commonin the Westas in the East,and may
a lawyer,a schoolcomedressedas a general,a merchant,
anything.To be'in the world,but not
master,a housewife,
of it' free írom ambition,greed,intellectualpride, blind
to custom,or aweoÍ personshigherin rank:that
obedience
i s ihe SuÍi'sideal."
Sayedldries
ldriesShah,whosefull nameis Nawab-Zada
is GrandSheikhof theSufisandthe eldest
Shahel-Hashimi,
equivalentoÍ l\4ahason of the Nawab(the Mohammedan
rajah)of Sardana,nearDelhiin India.His Íamllyoriginates
where
of Paghamin the HinduKhoosh,
from the principality
havereignedsince1221,andclaimsthe senior
hisanQestors
in lslam.ldriesShahwasbornat
descentfrom l\4ohammed
livesin London.He has pubHimalayas
and
in
the
Simla
lishedseveralbookson mysticaland occultsubjects.
CoverDesignby Jim McWilliams
("1 n oouoteoay
Book
Anchor
\tYl
rsgr: G385-07988-,1