Mapping Sufism in the West: A Critical Literature Survey

Abstract

Tasawuf e Islami is one of the essential components of Islamic Sharia without which Islam remains like a body without a soul. This innermost dimension has been emphasized in the principal sources of Islam namely the Quran and prophetic model of excellence. People of Suffa are a particular example of this model. With the growing interest in the subject of Sufism in the West, Western academia approached multiple aspects of its study such as tracing its origin with Christian hermits, greek philosophy, and Hindu mystical outlook. Most recently, the subject focused by the orientalist perspective raised many objections and ambiguities as for as its origin is concerned. The prevailing moral, spiritual, and psychological plights of the Western world approached Islamic spiritual sciences as an antidote for their problems. The present article, titled "Mapping Sufism in the West: A Critical Literature Survey," offers a comprehensive review of the academic and popular literature on the phenomenon of Sufism as it has been understood, interpreted, practiced, and studied in Western academic settings. The study explores the evolution of Western engagement with Sufism, from early Orientalist perspectives to contemporary analyses that not only recognize Sufism’s complex and dynamic nature but also demonstrate its quantum of popularity in the West. Although there is an explosion of literature on Sufism that requires critical analysis, because of space constraints, i have selected some key figures for overview and analysis to enable the young researchers to have more avenues to dig into the subject. this survey focuses on the prevailing themes, research methodologies, and gaps in the scholarship, concluding with how Sufism has been showcased and understood in Western scholarship. This survey intends to not only gauge the intellectual terrain but also identify areas for future research, aiming to contribute to a deeper understanding of Sufism’s place in Western spiritual, cultural, and academic landscapes in the context of Islamic classical literature on Sufism.