Conference Report

Mysticism and in (American University of Beirut, 2–3 May 2019)

Conference Organizers: Bilal Orfali, Mohammed Rustom, and Radwan Sayyid

Report by: Louise Gallorini American University of Beirut

([email protected])

eld at the American University of known scholars in the field from around Beirut over two intense days and the world. The Dean of the Faculty of Arts sponsored by the Sheikh Zayed and Sciences, Nadia El Cheikh, opened HBin Sultan Al-Nahyan Chair for Islamic the conference along with the organizers, and Studies (marking one hundred reminding the audience of the history years since the birth of Sheikh Zayed), this of scholarship in at the conference was organized by Bilal Orfali American University of Beirut that has (Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies been enabled by the creation of the Sheikh and Chair of the Department of Arabic Zayed Chair in 1972. Bilal Orfali stressed and Near Eastern Languages at AUB), the importance of encouraging research Mohammed Rustom (Associate Professor on and around Islamic mysticism, or of Islamic Studies at Carleton University taṣawwuf, and especially on its relevance and Library of Arabic Literature Senior to Islamic ethics, a subfield that remains

Creative Commons Fellow at NYU Abu Dhabi), and Radwan understudied to this day. One of the goals Sayyid (Visiting Professor and current of this conference was to challenge the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan Chair widely held idea that ethics in Islam and for Islamic and Arabic Studies). Islamic civilization are mainly inherited The conference was dedicated to from previous or neighboring civilizations, exploring the relationship between Islamic without any notable indigenous ethics and Islamic mysticism, usually contribution. Radwan Sayyid considered Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā known as —though the debate the conference a first answer to last year’s as to whether “mysticism” is equivalent conference “Towards a Reconstruction of to “Sufism” or to the Arabic taṣawwuf Islamic Studies,” also held at the American remains open. It brought together well- University of Beirut, while Mohammed

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 27 (2019): 267-272 268 • Louise Gallorini

Rustom provided the audience with an The paper of Issam Eido (Vanderbilt overview of the conference’s themes and University), read by Bilal Orfali, was panels. titled “Shades and Hues of Sufis and the The conference program consisted Concept of Ethics in Sufi Literature,” and of seven panels and a keynote address it explored and analyzed the two basic Sufi delivered by Jamal Elias of the University concepts of “station” (maqām) and “state” of Pennsylvania, who presented a scholarly (ḥāl) within the nuances of the ideas of discussion on an Ottoman author’s reading fixity and instability, using the theoretical of Rūmī’s Mathnawī. works of Foucault and his analysis of Greek ethical categories. May 2, 2019 Concluding the first panel was a paper Panels 1 and 2: Defining Boundaries by Khaled Abdo (Muʾminūn bilā ḥudūd Institute), “From Criticism of Sufism to The first two panels, chaired, respec- the Reform of Sufi Ethics: Discovering the tively, by Ramzi Baalbaki (American works of al-Daylamī.” The paper presented University of Beirut) and Atif Khalil the interesting case of a scholar who (University of Lethbridge), opened the veered from a critical stand on Sufism in conference bilingually, as the first panel’s general to its adoption, while trying to speakers presented in Arabic and the pave the way to its reformation. This paper second panel’s in English. explored the works of al-Daylamī (d. 1192), Suad al-Hakim (Lebanese University) focusing in particular on his book The presented a paper entitled “Ethics in Reformation of Ethics (Iṣlāḥ al-akhlāq), Sufism: Between the Refinement of the Soul which deals with Sufi ethics and the and the Refinement of Behavior,” based reformation of Sufism as well as the Sufi on the works of three Sufi personalities: stance toward philosophy; al-Daylamī’s al-Qaṣṣāb (ninth century CE), al-Jarīrī (d. book has been so far overlooked as a 923), and al-Kittānī (d. 933). The paper potentially theoretical grounding work on amounted to a reflection on the idea of this subject. ethics as public performance and not only The second panel began with Michael as a set of internal qualities. Arnold (American University of Beirut), Chafika Ouail (Orient Institute Beirut) who presented a paper entitled “Sufism presented “The Ordering of Knowledge to as an Ethical Panacea? Situating Taṣawwuf (Re)Produce Ethical Concepts in Sufism,” in Islamic Ethics.” Acknowledging tracing the gradual transformation of that no exact equivalent of ethics as a ethical values from communally inherited philosophical category can be found concepts to ontological ideas that bear within the Islamic intellectual heritage, different meanings and practices from and recognizing that Muslim scholars have their original forms. The paper also not methodically studied this category explored the varying social repercussions as defined today, this paper explored of such values and their production and the place of the Sufi tradition in dealing practice between the personal and the with ethical considerations in the Sunni communal and in relationship with their intellectual tradition while challenging evolving sociohistorical context. the commonly held view that the latter

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 27 (2019) Conference Report: Mysticism and Ethics in Islam • 269 took an antiphilosophical and antirational literature, this emotion is seen as positive turn after al-Ghazālī’s (d. 1111) critique of and its virtuous merits are discussed, as, philosophy. for example, in the chapter dedicated to Following on the discussion of ḥuzn in al-Risāla al-Qushayriyya. al-Ghazālī’s heritage in the previous Then Atif Khalil (University of presentation, Sophia Vasalou (Birmingham Lethbridge) presented “On Patience in University) presented a paper entitled Early Sufi Ethics,” which dealt with a “Does al-Ghazālī Have a Theory of ?” quality with obvious virtuous dimensions Focusing particularly on al-Ghazālī’s that has played a central role in Islamic works, the paper shed light on the dynamic piety. The paper analyzed the importance between philosophy and Sufi discourse of the notion of patience, which is one and on how virtue (faḍīla) is problematized of God’s qualities but did not become a within the broader concern with the subject of wide discussion until the work “ethics of virtue” as found in the works of Ibn ʿArabī (d. 1240). Along the way, of thinkers more closely associated with Khalil explored the works of Sarrāj (d. philosophy, such as al-Farābī (d. 950) and 988), Kālābādhī (d. 990), Abū Ṭālib al-Makkī (d. 1030). (d. 998), al-Qushayrī (d. 1072), Hujwīrī Concluding the second panel, Jeremy (d. 1072), and Sirjānī (d. 1077) and their Farrell (Emory University) presented “A approaches to ṣabr. ‘ Theory’ of Obligations: Early Sufi Kazuyo Murata (King’s College) Approaches to Zuhd.” Understanding zuhd presented a paper titled “Sufism and as supererogatory ethical practice in the the Pursuit of .” Whereas the context of early Sufism, this paper showed Greek concept of eudaemonia, translated that “value theory” allows us to better in Arabic as saʿāda, is heavily discussed understand why early Sufis adopted such by Sufi writers versed in falsafa, this practices. It traced the reasoning behind paper argued that the Sufi discourse on such practices in the works of al-Muḥāsibī happiness as a goal of human life is not (d. 857) and late tenth-century Sufi a simple carryover of this Greek antique handbooks. term. Rather, it covers different ideas and their associated notions, such as riḍā, Panel 3: From Grief to Love surūr, and faraḥ, all under the generic Chaired by Sebastian Günther umbrella of “happiness.” These various (University of Göttingen), the third panel notions have been explored by the likes of was opened by Riccardo Paredi (American al-Qushayrī (d. 1072), Khwāja ʿAbd Allāh University of Beirut) with his paper “To al-Anṣārī (d. 1087), and Rūzbihān al-Baqlī Grieve or Not to Grieve? The Concept of (d. 1209). Ḥuzn in Early Sufism.” Tracing the notion Mohammed Rustom (Carleton of ḥuzn and its evolution from the University) concluded this panel with his through the first three centuries of Islam, paper “Theo-Fānī: ʿAyn al-Quḍāt and the when it was initially viewed as a negative Fire of Love” on the famous Sufi martyr emotion (as in the Quranic “Do not grieve”), ʿAyn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (d. 1131), who the paper showed that in early Sufi belonged to the Persian Sufi “school of passionate love” (-i ʿishq).

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 27 (2019) 270 • Louise Gallorini

The paper explored ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s one’s spiritual accomplishments in order multifaceted understanding of love as it to preserve their pure intention and pertains to the Divine-human relationship the role of a Sufi master in showing his and the lived human experience of love. students the different blessings bestowed by God upon him as a guiding example Keynote Address for them. The paper explored this tension Jamal Elias (University of Pennsylvania) and the author’s knowledge of it, his way presented a keynote lecture entitled of dealing with the problem, the possible “Revisiting Rūmī’s Mathnawī as the cynicism that future readers of this work ‘Persian Qurʾān’ through the Lens of may have, and the attendant ethical stand Anqarawī.” The lecture provided a glimpse the reader would adopt in order to avoid into a commentary on Rūmī’s Mathnawī this potential pitfall. by one of the most influential Mevlevi The paper by Rizwan Zamir (Davidson shaykhs, Ismāʿīl Rusūkhī Anqarawī College), presented by Mohammed (d. 1631). Entitled Majmuʿat al-laṭāʾif Rustom, was entitled “‘Dogs Are Better wa maṭmūrat al-maʿārif (Collection of than You!’ Mockery in Punjabi Sufi subtleties and treasure of knowledge) Poetry.” The paper analyzed the poetry of and consisting of seven volumes, it is three well-known South Asian Sufis, Shah usually known as Sharḥ-i Mathnawī. It Husayn (d. 1593), Sultan Bāhū (d. 1691) and curiously contains a commentary on what Baba Bulleh Shah (d. 1758), focusing on is supposed to be a seventh volume of the aspect of mockery, which Zamir sees Rūmī’s Mathnawī, which Elias analyzed in as reflecting ethical, mystical, social, and the context of the frequent reference to personal discussions in a Punjabi society the Mathnawī as the “Persian Quran” by whose hollowness and hypocrisy the poets classical scholars and authors such as Jāmī decried. (d. 1492)—although it should be noted that Then Alexandre Papas (French National this comparison is not to be understood in Center for Scientific Research) presented the sense of a formal resemblance to the “Sufism and Ethics in Central Asia: Quranic text but is rather is to be seen as Ṣūfī Allāhyār’s Thabāt al-ʿĀjizīn and Its emphasizing its great importance in and Legacy,” a paper exploring the work of Ṣūfī impact on the Persianate world. Allāhyār (d. 1721), a Naqshbandī Mujaddidī Sufi from Samarqand whose influence was May 3rd, 2019 greater as an author than it was as a Sufi shaykh. Composed in mathnawī form, his Panel 4: Late Pre-Modern Sufism work became popular in Central Asian The conference’s second day opened , exposing a sober Sufi view on with a panel chaired by Bilal Orfali faith, observance, morals, and ethics. (American University of Beirut). Matthew Marcia Hermansen (Loyola University Ingalls (American University of Dubai) Chicago) presented a paper titled “Shāh began with his presentation, “Al-Shaʿrānī’s Walī Allāh and the ,” which Laṭāʾif al-Minan and the Virtue of Sincere discussed the different frameworks for Immodesty.” This work addresses the conceiving of the relationship between tension between the virtue of hiding mysticism and ethics that can be found in

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 27 (2019) Conference Report: Mysticism and Ethics in Islam • 271 the work of Shāh Walī Allāh (d. 1762) of of the mind and body in the pursuit of Delhi at the juncture between premodern “beauty” geared toward the development and early modern Islam. The paper of a virtuous self. uncovered his formulation of the virtues Concluding this panel, Vahid Behmardi one needs to cultivate in order to attain (Lebanese American University) presented felicity, and his view of how these virtues “Social Ethics in Rūmī’s Mathnawī.” are related to the four Platonic virtues in a Discussing Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (d. 1273) for a Sufi ethical context. second time in this conference, this paper Concluding this panel was a presentation explored the social ethics that can be read by Paul Heck (Georgetown University), in his Mathnawī, which is not restricted “Mystical Traditions of Prophetic Ethics in to a purely personal mystical dimension Moroccan Sufism: The Case of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz but also gives the reader social values to be al-Dabbāgh (d. 1719).” Starting with the developed in society so that the spiritual works and example of this Moroccan and religious being can simultaneously mystic, this paper presented the ethical flourish. aspects of the spiritual path in the late premodern Islamic West, with a focus on Panels 6 and 7: Sufism in the Nineteenth how spiritual interacts with and Twentieth Centuries worldly power. The sixth panel was chaired by Lyall Armstrong (American University of Panel 5: Literary Engagements Beirut) and started with a presentation by Chaired by Enass Khansa (American Ahmed El Shamsy (University of Chicago) University of Beirut), this panel was opened entitled “Modernist Appropriations of Sufi by a presentation in Arabic by Lina Jamal Ethics.” Looking beyond the existing view (American University of Beirut), “Sufi of Muslim reformers’ criticism of Sufism, Dreams,” which discussed the influence this paper described how, on the contrary, of Greek thought on oneiric Sufi writings such reformers embraced and promoted and their symbols. The paper analyzed certain aspects of classical works of Sufism, the symbolism of wool (ṣūf) in dreams a prime example being the Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm from Artemidorus (second century) to al-dīn by al-Ghazālī (d. 1111), which was al-Nābulsī (d. 1731) and demonstrated how used by reformers such as Rashīd Riḍā (d. this symbol was adopted by Sufis for their 1935) and Muḥammad ʿAbduh (d. 1905) in own concerns. This adoption represents driving home their own ethical concerns. an example of a Greek element used and Leila Alzamova (International Relations modified within the Islamic tradition. Kazan Federal University) presented Richard McGregor (Vanderbilt Univer- “Sufism and Modern Muslim Ethics in sity) presented a paper titled “Beauty, 20th Century Russian Islamic Thought,” Vision, and the Disciplines of Bodies in Sufi which explored the differing views of two Aesthetics.” With an emphasis on Egyptian Muslim scholars in twentieth-century traditions, this paper delved deeper into imperial Russia, Ziyaaddin Kamali (d. the relationship between ethics and visual 1942) and Musa Bigiev (d. 1949), and their practice in Sufism and into the discipline divergent criticisms of Sufi shaykhs and

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 27 (2019) 272 • Louise Gallorini their practice in the context of the great human” in regard to the idea of “world changes brought by modernity and the citizenship” through examples such as the perceived backwardness of the Islamic International Day of Living Together in world vis-à-vis the West. Peace on May 16 of each year, which was Oludamini Ogunnaike (University of recently adopted by the United Nations as Virginia) presented a paper titled “The the result of an initiative by Shaykh Khaled Existential, Epistemological Ethics of Bentounes of the ʿAlawiyya International Tarbiyah: Ibrahim Niasse’s Maqāmāt al-Dīn Association. al-Thalāth.” This presentation focused on the branch of the Tijāniyya Sufi order that These intense two days gave the is the largest in in the world and the most audience a window into trends in the popular one in sub-Saharan Africa thanks current scholarship and research being to the significant influence of Shaykh conducted on Islamic mysticism—both Ibrahim Niasse (d. 1975). Analyzing his on its established themes, such as Rūmī’s works, the paper shed a great deal of light works and heritage, and less known but on Niasse’s spiritual training, tracing its promising fields, such as early Sufi texts origins and exploring the relationship it and non-Arabic works from different parts postulates between ethics, epistemology, of the premodern Islamic world. ontology, and Sufi anthropology. The particular focus on ethics, an area The seventh and final panel of the that is overall not yet systematically conference was chaired by Bashshar Haydar researched in Islamic and Middle Eastern (American University of Beirut), with two studies, helped bring together scholars presentations in Arabic. The first of these specialized in different time periods and was by Mohammed Helmi, “The Question different Islamic languages, which made of Sufism on the Contemporary Horizon: for fruitful exchanges among participants History and Destinies.” It presented an and with the public. overview of the last century’s criticisms The conference also proved to be a of Sufism, from internal criticism by prac- logical step in the context of a growing titioners of Sufism to external criticism interest, both scholarly and otherwise, from non-Sufis, according to different in the subject of Sufism. This is hopefully religious approaches and currents identi- the beginning of regular exchanges and fied by Helmi. organized discussions around Sufism in Then Adbelouahab Belgherras (Centre particular and Islamic studies in general at de recherche en anthropologie sociale the AUB, an institution uniquely situated et culturelle) presented “Sufi Ethics in to bring together scholars from different Contemporary Discourse: The ‘Perfect’ traditions and disciplines. Indeed, the Man and World Citizenship.” This paper AUB can help foster a rare dynamic and discussed the contemporary relevance discussion between scholars from within of the Sufi understanding of the “perfect and outside of the Islamic world.

Al-ʿUṣūr al-Wusṭā 27 (2019)