The Book of Ascension to the Essential Truths of Sufism: (Mi'raj al-tashawwuf ila haqa'iq al-tasawwuf) A Lexicon of Sufic Terminology (Arabic and English Edition)

This is a very welcome translation for Sufi studies. The text itself is important for those who wish to understand the technical terms of Sufism. Personally, I find it more useful than many of the earlier texts of Sufism, such as the Risalah of al-Qushayri, which in the interest of providing many different sayings from different Sufi masters regarding specific Sufi terms sacrifices clarity. Ibn Ajibah's book of Sufi terms is not at all like this; it is clear and straightforward.The translation is of remarkable quality, true to the Arabic, smooth English style, excellent choice for technical terms, etc. Fitzgerald has proven himself to be among the best translators of Sufi texts. Also see his translation of The Immense Ocean: Al-Bahr al-Madid: A Thirteenth Century Quranic Commentary on the Chapters of the All-Merciful, the Event, and Iron (Fons Vitae Quranic Commentaries Series)]], which is probably the best translation of a classical Sufi commentary into English (I would love to see him do the whole commentary).In addition to the excellent rendering of this important Sufi text, the appendices to this volume provide an excellent teaching tool. They compare the definitions of technical terms from several different Sufi handbooks. This is a text upon which I myself will draw when teaching Sufism.

Another classic and essential book regarding sufism. It is ostensibly a dictionary of sufi terminology but is more so a manual of sufism which explain the various states and stations that a person can experience and develop along the way. One of the key features of ibn Ajiba's style is at the end of each definition he relates it to the beginner, intermediate and advanced seeker. This allows for it to be a constant read because he unpacks understandings that could be beneficial no matter how far along the path you may be. The other benefit from this publishing is it has the full arabic text in the back. This allows those people still learning Arabic to read it and have the English translation to help when you get stuck.

Very good book overall. Easy listing on the subject and topics at hand. It starts from the basic and continues adding more from previous topics and words/sayings. You may have to refer back and forth if you are fairly new to this matter but nonetheless great job on citations, words that appear in the Quran, Hadiths and so forth. This is just the tip of the iceberg, in which you will get introduced to many other books and works referred in it.. may you begin your journey to oceans of knowledge...

Anything by Ibn Ajiba

My husband really loves this book. He loves to read and we are Muslim so this book made him happy