Revealing the Hidden Behind the Veil. The Oldest Persian Treatise on Sufism

Revealing the Hidden Behind the Veil. The Oldest Persian Treatise on Sufism
This treatise is one of the most complete and authoritative guides to Sufism for the dervishes of most Sufi brotherhoods. It was written in the 11th century and is the earliest treatise on Sufism in Persian, covering a wide range of issues in the theory and practice of Sufism and creating a comprehensive understanding of this spiritual tradition. Its author, an encyclopedic scholar, first disclosed unique information about the Sufis, so little known to the uninitiated that many believed that part of the material was simply invented. The book may be useful to anyone interested in the spiritual-religious traditions of the East, its philosophy, history, and culture of thought, etiquette, and customs.
The book addresses the question of the role of reason in Sufism. There are widely held opinions about the negative attitude of Sufis towards knowledge and intellect, but such a position is primarily characteristic of simplified, "popular" Sufism. Relying on numerous Sufi sources and his own experience within the tradition, the author demonstrates the limitations of such a view. Reason plays an important role in Sufism and in the spiritual tradition as a whole, and the Sufi "path of knowledge" is a necessary complement to the Sufi "path of love".