Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Flowers of the Desert: The Development of Arabic Mystical Poetry 2. Tiny Mirros of Divine Beauty: Classical persian Mystical Poetry 3. Sun Triumphal - Love Triumphant: Maulana Rumi and the Metaphors of Love 4. The Voice of Love: Mystical poetry in the Vernaculars 5. God's Beloved and Intercessor for Man: Poetry in Honor of the Prophet Abbreviations Used in Notes and Bibliography Notes Bibliography Index of Selected Quotations Index of Proper Names Index of Technical Terms

Originally published in 1982, this is an updated and revised edition of a book containing five lectures delivered by the late renowned academic and Sufi expert, Annemarie Schimmel. Drawing on an enormous range of sources, some ancient and others modern, this classic text covers in great detail the development of Islamic mystical poetry, the literary tradition that gave birth to the profound and beautiful writings of Jalal al-Din Rumi. Clear and authoritative, this volume goes beyond a simple survey of mystical literature to cover such intriguing topics as the difficulty of interpreting poetry that is both sensual and sacred, and the effect of this body of work on later writings. With other areas featured including the delightful vagaries of cryptic and nonsense verse, this is an insightful and passionate account of some of the most exquisite literature ever penned.