December 6, 2017

The Characterization of Sufism as a Separate Sect Within Islam Is Inaccurate and Problematic

Omid Safi explores the harmful good Sufi/bad Muslim construct in the way we talk about Islam — and calls for a greater understanding of the true breadth of the spectrum of Islamic thought.

Essay

August 2, 2017

Solitude Is About More Than Just Being Alone

Written by Omid Safi

The value of solitude isn't simply in retreating from a chaotic world. It's a discipline that's different for all of us — and one that we can practice wherever we are.

Essay

July 19, 2017

Orüç Güvenç’s Music Is the Closest I’ve Come to the Sound of Heaven

Written by Omid Safi

Learning of the great ethnomusicologist's death, our columnist offers an "ocean of remembrance" in return for the Turkish Sufi master who embodied the poetry of Islam in both his music and his being.

Essay

June 21, 2017

The Spirituality of the Ordinary Is Luminous

Written by Omid Safi

The extraordinary is revered and celebrated, but where does that leave the ordinary? On rediscovering the meaning of awe, and finding it in the quiet majesty of the daily grind.

Essay

May 18, 2017

Tending Our Inner Life To Make the World Whole

Written by Omid Safi

We often speak about how best to heal the world around us, but it's also essential to nurture ourselves. A reflection on self-care as a crucial part of healing one another.

Essay

March 2, 2017

The Two Wings of Intellect and Love

Written by Omid Safi

To elevate the spirit, we must nurture the soul and the rational mind, alike.

Essay

February 23, 2017

Calling on God as a Friend

Written by Omid Safi

What if our relationship with God were more long, tender, even humorous?

Essay

September 29, 2016

Knowing the Path, and Walking It

Written by Omid Safi

For Omid Safi, the words and movements of prayer are more than rote. A reflection on faith as a lived embodiment of love.

Essay

September 22, 2016

Gathering Friends Like Roses

Written by Omid Safi

A true friendship doesn't only bring support and joy, but also challenges us to grow. Omid Safi reflects on the importance of nurturing relationships that acknowledge our imperfections, and nourish the best in us.

Essay

June 30, 2016

This Heavenly Sound: The Ecstatic Music of Islam

Written by Omid Safi

The Sufi tradition is infused with the beauty of art and song. Honoring singer Amjad Sabri, Omid Safi celebrates and gives thanks for the spiritual gift of the qawwali devotional.

Essay

December 17, 2015

Ripening of Love: An Ode to Rumi on the Anniversary of His Death

Written by Omid Safi

More than 800 years later, the great Sufi mystic Rumi continues to influence millions. Omid Safi marvels at the unifying and ripening power of Rumi's wisdom and grace through his poetry and his presence.

Sufi

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The Characterization of Sufism as a Separate Sect Within Islam Is Inaccurate and Problematic

Solitude Is About More Than Just Being Alone

Orüç Güvenç’s Music Is the Closest I’ve Come to the Sound of Heaven

The Spirituality of the Ordinary Is Luminous

Tending Our Inner Life To Make the World Whole

The Two Wings of Intellect and Love

Calling on God as a Friend

Knowing the Path, and Walking It

Gathering Friends Like Roses

This Heavenly Sound: The Ecstatic Music of Islam

Ripening of Love: An Ode to Rumi on the Anniversary of His Death

View

Sufi

View

The Characterization of Sufism as a Separate Sect Within Islam Is Inaccurate and Problematic

Solitude Is About More Than Just Being Alone

Orüç Güvenç’s Music Is the Closest I’ve Come to the Sound of Heaven

The Spirituality of the Ordinary Is Luminous

Tending Our Inner Life To Make the World Whole

The Two Wings of Intellect and Love

Calling on God as a Friend

Knowing the Path, and Walking It

Gathering Friends Like Roses

This Heavenly Sound: The Ecstatic Music of Islam

Ripening of Love: An Ode to Rumi on the Anniversary of His Death

The Pause

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