Religion and Mysticism in Early Islam: Theology and Sufism in Yemen (Library of Middle East History)

Scholar, mystic and visionary, Ibn 'Alwân lived through the transition from Ayyubid to Rasulid rule in thirteenth-century Yemen. He was well known in his time for his critique of the ruling elites and their governance, and left behind a substantial body of writings on Islamic mysticism, theology, law and exegesis of the Qur’an. Here Muhammad Aziz presents a comprehensive portrait of Ibn 'Alwân, delineating the religious and political background in Yemen, the development of Sufi orders, the interplay between Sufi, Shi'i and Sunni traditions, and the impact of Ibn 'Alwân on the history of Sufism and Islam. The first study of Ibn ‘Alwân in English, Religion and Mysticism in Early Islam is essential reading for all those interested in mysticism, early Islam, Sufism, and religion and history more generally.