This book examines the Nurbakhshiya Sufi movement during the late medieval period in Iran and Central Asia. It focuses on the life and teachings of Muhammad Nurbakhsh (d. 1464), a Sufi master who claimed to be the Mahdi (the promised messiah). Key Themes
In this influential work, Bashir shifts the focus from purely textual or theological analysis of Sufism to the physical body.
Sufi Bodies offers a novel methodology for extracting historical information from religious narratives, even those depicting extraordinary and miraculous events. By illuminating the complex relationships between body and soul, body and gender, body and society, and body and the cosmos, Bashir firmly established the body as a critical and legitimate concern for the study of religion and history. shahzad bashir books
To fully appreciate Shahzad Bashir's books, it helps to understand the recurring threads that tie his scholarship together:
Shahzad Bashir’s bibliography bridges the gap between religious studies, history, and anthropology. His major contributions to the academic landscape include: This book examines the Nurbakhshiya Sufi movement during
Shahzad Bashir is a prominent scholar of Islamic Studies and the Aga Khan Professor of Islamic Humanities at Brown University. His books have fundamentally transformed how academics and readers approach Islamic history, mysticism, and the concept of time. By moving away from rigid, Eurocentric timelines, Bashir invites readers to view Islam through a fluid, multi-faceted lens.
Shahzad Bashir is a prominent scholar of Islamic history, religion, and culture, whose work has profoundly influenced how scholars and students understand the diverse expressions of Islam, particularly within the Persianate world and in relation to Sufism. As the Aga Khan Professor of Islamic Humanities and Professor of History and Religious Studies at Brown University, Bashir's academic contributions are extensive. His books often challenge conventional linear historical narratives, preferring to explore the complexities of "Islamicate" traditions, the body in religious practice, and the intersection of medieval and modern messianism. Key Themes In this influential work, Bashir shifts
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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.