Abstract

This work has been carried out by Elena Biagi in the Department of Arabic Studies at the American University in Cairo, under the supervision of Dr. E. Satiain, and bears the following title: A Collection of Sufi rules of conduct: A translation of the Gawiimi' A.dab al-$iifiyya by Ab11 'ibd a/-Ra!Jmlin al-Sulami (d 412/1021) with a critical introduction and a Concordance. After an introduction which places the author in his historical, literary and religious context, the research focuses on the translation of a book which bas not been translated so far into any European languages. Through the translation I have tried to interpret the text and understand its purport within both the traditions of Arabic literature and oflslamic mysticism. The translation is followed by a general glossary of Sufi technical terms intended mainly for those readers who are unfamiliar with the Sufi idiom, and who need a quick reference to facilitate their understanding of the text. Finally, I have composed a Concordance, whose intention is to provide the necessary data which will assist the reader who wishes to explore the strncture and consistency of al-SulamI's vocabulruy through a semantic analysis of the Arabic text. An accurate study of the Concordance will make it possible to ascertain the purport of some specific Sufi terms as found in the Gawiimi' and to see how their sense is related to their conventional use in Sufi linguistic tradition. The text taken into consideration is significant because it represents a major attempt to "harmonize" Sufism with Islamic orthodoxy, by providing the reader with a well-defined formulation of Sufi manners and beliefs and showing their compatibility with the Qur'an and the Sunoa. The originality of it lies in the basic subject matter of the book, apparently the first single work ever entirely devoted to describing many different iidiib, as well as in the author's approach: in fact, although it is a Sufi treatise, it shares many characteristics with the popular Adab works, which makes it an interesting book both for those acquainted with Sufi subjects and for the general public. Finally, this research has aimed at highlighting the significance of this work, whose contribution lies mainly in its embodying a whole tradition of Sufi thinking and in the author's distinctive treatment of a subject, such as that of Sufism, which is still of great interest in the present day.

School

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Date of Award

6-1-2002

Online Submission Date

1-1-2002

First Advisor

Elizabeth Sartain

Committee Member 1

Elizabeth Sartain

Committee Member 2

Muhammad Serag

Committee Member 3

Mark Sedgwick

Document Type

Thesis

Extent

p.192

Library of Congress Subject Heading 1

Sufism.

Rights

The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.

Call Number

Thesis 2002/41

Location

mmbk

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