Shahzad Bashir — Books
Published by Columbia University Press, Sufi Bodies is a groundbreaking exploration of how the human body was perceived and represented in Sufi thought and practice between 1300 and 1500 C.E.. Moving beyond a straightforward account of Sufi leaders, Bashir weaves a rich history around the depiction of bodily actions by Sufi masters and disciples, drawing primarily on Sufi literature and Persian miniature paintings.
He is an active proponent of using new technology to rethink the structure of historical narratives. Academic Contributions and Editorial Work
If you are interested in how apocalyptic ideas survive persecution and evolve over centuries, this book is a masterclass in micro-history. It is essential for those studying the interface of Sufism and Shi’ism. shahzad bashir books
Shortly after his first book, Bashir published this concise but powerful study as part of Oneworld’s "Makers of the Muslim World" series. The book focuses on Fazlallah Astarabadi, a 14th-century religious leader who founded the Hurufi movement, which was based on the esoteric interpretation of the letters of the Persian and Arabic alphabets. This work is notable for being the first comprehensive study of Astarabadi’s life and thought. It emphasizes the incredible diversity of medieval Islam by taking seriously an apocalyptic movement founded on the idea that the cosmos contains embedded secrets that become manifest through an extraordinary human being. The Hurufis, as Bashir explains, represent a fascinating intersection of Sufism, Shi'ism, and esoteric philosophy, a theme that runs throughout his broader oeuvre.
Reflecting its impact, the book has been translated into Turkish and Persian. Published by Columbia University Press, Sufi Bodies is
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Published as part of the Makers of the Muslim World series, this monograph explores the life and radical apocalyptic theology of , the 14th-century founder of the Hurufi movement. Academic Contributions and Editorial Work If you are
In this work, Bashir shifts the focus of Sufism (Islamic mysticism) from abstract philosophy to the physical human body.
Investigating the literary and cultural practices of the Persian-speaking world.