Often described as the soul of Islam, Sufism is one of the most interesting yet least known facet of this global religion. Sufism is the softer more inclusive and mystical form of Islam. Although militant Islamists dominate the headlines, the Sufi ideal has captured the imagination of many. Nowhere in the world is the handprint of Sufism more observable than South Asia, which has the largest Muslim population of the world, but also the greatest concentration of Sufis. This book examines active Sufi communities in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh that shed light on the devotion, and deviation, and destiny of Sufism in South Asia.

Notes on Contributors Acknowledgments Introduction: South Asian Sufis, Continuity, Complexity and Change Clinton Bennett 1. Iran's Role in Stimulating South Asian Islam Clinton Bennett 2. A Model of Sufi Training in the Twenty-First Century: a Case Study of the Qadiriyya in Hyderabad Mauro Valdinoci 3. Understanding the Philosophy of Spirituality at Shrines in Pakistan Hafeez-ur-Rehman Chaudhry 4. Spiritual Power and 'Threshold' Identities: The Mazars of Sayyid Pir Waris Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Uzma Rehman 5. Du'a: Popular Culture and Powerful Blessing at the 'Urs Pnina Werbner 6. The Sufi Center of Jhok Sharif in Sindh (Pakistan): Questioning the Ziyarat as a Social Process Michel Boivin 7. When Sufi Tradition Reinvents Islamic Modernity. The Minhaj-ul Qur'an, a Neo-Sufi order in Pakistan Alix Philippon 8. Making the Case for Sainthood in Modern Bangladesh: Narrative Strategies and the Presentation of Holiness in the Life of Zia ul-Haqq Maizbhandari Sarwar Alam 9. Ahmad Sirhindi: Nationalist Hero, Good Sufi, or Bad Sufi? Arthur Buehler 10. Encountering the Unholy: The Establishment of Political Parties by Sufi Masters in Modern Bangladesh Sarwar Alam 11. The Transformation and Development of South Asian Sufis in Britain Ron Geaves 12. Rishiwaer: Kashmir, the Garden of the Saints Charles M. Ramsey 13. Bangladeshi Sufism - An Interfaith Bridge Clinton Bennett 14. A Garden Amidst the Flames: The Categorical Imperative of Sufi Wisdom Hugh van Skyhawk 15. South Asian Sufism in America Marcia Hermansen 16. Sufis and Social Activism: a Chishti Response to Communal Strife in India Today Kelly Pemberton Conclusion: South Asian Sufis, Devotion, Deviation, and Destiny Charles M. Ramsey Bibliography Index