Conference Report Mysticism and Ethics in Islam (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 Arabic Studies (marking one hundred reminding the audience of the history years since the birth of Sheikh Zayed), this of scholarship in Islamic studies 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 Sufism—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 Virtue?” 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 Miskawayh (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. ‘Value 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 Happiness.” 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 Quran 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” (madhhab-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.