Is Esoteric Islamic Spirituality Mysticism? Sufism, Ishrāqī Philosophy, and the Limitations of Religious Studies Theories

Islamic esoteric traditions such as Sufism and Ishrāqī philosophy are often labeled "mysticism," yet scholars of Islam and case studies of Muslim mystics are largely absent from the debates that shape the conceptual understanding of mysticism in religious studies. This exclusion risks perpetuating outdated stereotypes of Islam as a merely legalistic tradition. The article traces how defining a universal mystical experience has led to prescriptive definitions that exclude much of Islamic spirituality, describes how Islamicists have critiqued these models without offering a viable solution, and suggests that bringing Islam into the discourse will enrich theoretical perspectives on mysticism and religion.

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Abstract

Abstract:Although Sufism, Ishrāqī philosophy, and other forms of esoteric Islamic spirituality are frequently labelled “mysticism,” scholars of Islam and case studies of Muslim mystics are largely absent from the debates that shape the conceptual understanding of mysticism in religious studies. As a result, Sufi and Ishrāqī models of piety often do not adhere to these scholarly understandings. The exclusion of Islamic mysticism leads to an image of it being somehow less “profound” and thereby less spiritual, potentially perpetuating outdated stereotypes of Islam as a nomocentric tradition. This article addresses this issue by first tracing the way that a focus on defining a universal mystical experience has led to prescriptive definitions that exclude much of the Islamic tradition. Following this discussion, the article describes the ways in which scholars of Islam have responded to religious studies models and evaluates the merits of their approaches. While Islamicists have raised thoughtful critiques of religious studies definitions of mysticism, they have not offered a viable solution to the problem. Using these responses as a starting point, the conclusion offers tentative remarks on how bringing Islam into the discourse of mysticism will enrich our theoretical perspective of mysticism and religion more generally.