The Mishkat al-Anwar (The Niche for Lights) & The First Book of The Hadiqatu' l-Haqiqa;or, the Enclosed Garden of the Truth

The Mishkat al-Anwar (The Niche for Lights)

[1924]

by Al-Ghazzali , translated by W.H.T. Gairdner

THE MISHKÂT AL-ANWAR is a work of extreme interest from the viewpoint of al-Ghazzâlî's[2] inner life and esoteric thought. The glimpses it gives of that life and thought are remarkably, perhaps uniquely, intimate. It begins where his autobiographical Al-Munqidh min al-Dalâl leaves off. Its esotericism excited the curiosity and even the suspicion of Muslim thinkers from the first, and we have deeply interesting allusions to it in Ibn Tufaill and Ibn Rushd, the celebrated philosophers of Western Islam, who flourished within the century after al-Ghazzâlî's death in 1111 (A.H. 505)--a fact which, again, increases its importance and interest for us.

The First Book of The Hadiqatu' l-Haqiqa;or, the Enclosed Garden of the Truth

of The Hakim Abu' l-Majd Majdud Sana'i of Ghazna.

Author Abu¯' l-Majd Majdu¯d Sana¯'i¯

EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY MAJOR John Stephenson,[1910]

Several years ago, on looking up the literature pertaining to the earlier Sufi poets of Persia, I found that there was no European edition or translation, nor even any extended account of the contents of any of the works of Sanâ'î. Considering the reputation of this author, and the importance of his writings for the history of Sufiism, the omission was remarkable; and I was encouraged by Dr. E. D. Ross, Principal of the Calcutta. Madrasah, to do something towards filling up the blank. The present volume is an attempt at a presentation of a part of Sanâ'î's most famous work, which, it is hoped. may serve to give an idea of his manner of thought not only to Oriental scholars, but also to non-Orientalists who may be interested in the mysticism of Persia.-J. STEPHENSON