The Orientalists' Efforts in Studying the History of Muslim Sufism (Mysticism): A Study on the Major Opinions and Books of the Orientalists in Muslim Sufism

Abstract

This research deals with most important works of Orientals about (Sufism) mysticism. This research also includes a facilitated Study covering initiation Of Orientalism till the period of its development, coming across the most important recent studies dealing with the subject. Then the study deals with the ideas of Orientals About the rise of Sufism and the external western Effects or any other ones. And the effects which the Orientals say that they are the real beginning of Sufism; and which we have come across. The study also deals with the most important Orientals who dedicated their efforts on studying Sufism in particular, and helped the westerns to study It. Among those are the English (Nicholson) and the French (Massignon) and others, mentioning their most important approaches and studies.Generally, this study is an attempt to know standing of Sufism among the oriental studies, and the Importance of that study to the west and the western Studies.