The Friends of God-Sufi Saints in Islam: Popular Poster Art from Pakistan

Within the Muslim world, Pakistan is a heartland of Islamic mysticism where this "path of love" is distinctive and especially alive in its popular manifestations. The inspirational vitality of Sufism and related forms of vernacular Islam is reflected in the life worlds of charismatic saints and mystics who undertake a journey to God and strive for the experience of unity with the divine. Modern poster-portraits depicting Sufi saints and their shrines are a vivid medium of piety and devotion. These colourful, visually fascinating and powerful prints are particularly significant for the study of those contemporary views of the South Asian Sufi tradition shared by the common people. Unfolding a world of imagination, they reflect the visual aesthetics of folk art and pop art steeped in exuberance and playfulness. Devotional pictures of Muslim saints and shrines are similarly attractive as the much better known Hindu posters of gods and goddesses from India. Through comprehensive documentation and analysis, this book aims to introduce this genre of popular Sufi poster art for the first time to a wider readership.