Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction: Women and Sufism xix
IN THE HEART OF THE PROPHET 1
Khadija 5
Fatima 8
'A'isha 13
EARLY SUFI WOMEN 19
A DOORKEEPER OF THE HEART 25
Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya: Poems and Stones of Rabi'a 30
SUFI WOMEN OF SYRIA 35
Halima of Damascus 35
Rabi'a bint Ismail 35
Lubaba al-Muta 'Abbida 36
Fatima of Damascus 37
THOSE WHO WEEP 38
Sha'wana Ghufayra 38
Tears of Devotion 40
THE ENRAPTURED ONES 44
Dhakkara 44
Fatima al-Barda'iyya 45
SUFI WOMEN OF NISHAPUR 46
'A'isha 46
Fatima 47
Futayma 48
Al-Wahatiyya 49
GOING HOME 51
A Maiden of the Desert
SUFI SISTERS 53
Zubda and Mudgha: Essence and Embryo 53
'Abda and Amina: Servant and Faith 54
BE THERE FOR GOD, TODAY 55
'Unayza of Baghdad 55
A JEWEL OF KNOWLEDGE 56
Lady Nafisa: Waters of Blessing 56
HIDDEN WAYS 60
Umm 'Abdullah: Dream Lessons 61
THE UNFOLDING UNIVERSE 73
TOWARD THE HEART 89
Eva de Vitray-Meyerovitch: The Path of Sufism 90
MY SOUL IS A WOMAN 98
Annemarie Schimmel: Women in Mystical Islam 99
WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF IBN AL-'ARABI 109
Claude Addas: Sublime Companions 110
WHEREVER YOU TURN, THERE IS THE FACE OF GOD 115
Camille Adams Helminski: Mevlevi Women 117
A PRINCESS OF PIETY 128
Jahanara: Confidant of Spirits 129
THE WINE OF LOVE 133
Bibi Hayati: Our Intoxicating Beloved 135
The Night of Power 135
FROM A QADIRI HEART OF NIGERIA 137
Nana Asma'u: Sufi Women 140
Lamentation for Aisba I 145
So Verily. . . 146
YASHRUTIS OF PALESTINE 148
Sayyida Fatima: Journey to Reality 150
THE LIGHT OF WOMANHOOD 153
Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan: A Woman of Valor 155
SERVING PEACE 160
Rabia Tern Harris: Reflections on Retreat 161
A WINDOW INTO FORTY DAYS 169
Michaela Özelsel: In the Lion's Presence 170
Zhikr 174
THE WAY OF THE SOUL 177
Sachiko Murata: Soul Bridges 180
The Soul as Virgin Mother 183
MOTHER LOVE 186
Murshida Vera Corda: The First Goal of Sufi Mothers 187
First Lessons of Love 188
Etheric Body Massage 190
THE FRAGRANCE OF PRAYER 192
Farzaneh Milani: Fresh Jasmine 193
AN ESSENTIAL LANGUAGE 196
Aliaa R. Rafea and Aisha Rafea: Real Love Means Surrender 197
The Soul's Longing 199
MOTHER OF COMPASSION 215
Hagga Zakiyya 215
SONGS OF PRAISE AND SUPPLICATION: THE MUNSHIDIN OF EGYPT 222
O Allah! 226
MUSICAL REMEMBRANCE: SUFI WOMEN OF FEZ 229
In Praise of the Prophet 231
INNER VISION 233
Nuha and Suha al-Abed: Vision of the Truth by Meeting of the Sun and Moon 234
PRINCIPLES OF SUFISM 244
Sayedeh Nahid Angha: Patience (Sabr) 246
A CHILD OF THE MOMENT 254
Aisha Gouverneur: Purifying the Heart 257
Essential Zhikr for a New Murid 259
A DAUGHTER OF FIRE 264
Irma Tweedie: Yearning for Truth 265
BEKTASHI BREATHS 280
Avidye Koca: Unfolding Light 282
I Rubbed My Face upon Your Feet 282
Today, I Reached My Pir 283
A ROSE GARDEN OF LOVE 285
Nezihe Araz: You Have to Love People 285
LET US ASK PERMISSION OF THE MATURE ONES 296
Haci Tahsine Hanim Efendi: Erler Demine 297
SHARING THE TREASURE 299
Samtha Ayverdi: Awakening 300
Bibliography 304
