Sufi Hermeneutics: The Qur'an Commentary of Rashid Al-Din Maybudi

This is the first major study in a Western language of Rashid al-Din Maybudi's Persian commentary on the Qur'an Kashf al-asrar wa 'uddat al-abrar (Unveiling of Mysteries and Provision of the Righteous). Annabel Keeler explores the interplay between scriptural exegesis and mystical doctrine in a twelfth-century Sufi commentary on the Qur'an. Previously little-known outside the Persian-speaking world, it is increasingly recognized as a key work in the development of Sufi Qur'anic interpretation. This volume provides invaluable background for anyone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of Persian mystical poetry and prose, and other major works of Sufi literature.

Foreword; Preface; Note on transliteration; Introduction; PART ONE: HERMENEUTICS; The Hermeneutics of the Kashf al-asrar; The Hermeneutics of Mystical Commentary; PART TWO: MYSTICAL DOCTRINE; The Development of Love Mysticism in Khurasan; God and the Creation; Aspects of Spiritual Guidance; Mystical Theology and the Way of Love; PART THREE: MAYBUDI'S MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE STORIES OF THE PROPHETS; Prolegomenon: Prophets in the Qur'an and in Sufi Exegesis; The Story of Abraham; The Story of Moses; The Story of Joseph; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index of Qur'anic citations; Index