A Psychology of Early Sufi Samâ`

This book provides new insights into the work of five Sufi authors, and a fresh approach to the relation between historical accounts of altered states and current psychological thinking.

Kenneth S. Avery is a specialist in Sufi studies and Persian literature. He is a musician and a recent Ph.D. graduate in Islamic Studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia

1. Introduction  2. Samâ` in Early Sufi Literature: An Overview  3. The Language of Samâ` and Other Key Concepts  4. The Psychology of Samâ`  Part 1  5. The Psychology of Samâ`  Part 2  6. The Psychology of Samâ` According to the Sufi Writers  7. The Sufis' Explanations of their Altered State Experiences  8. The Ritual Behaviour and Etiquette of Samâ`  9. The Paradigmatic Experience of Two 'Ecstatics', Nûrî and Shiblî  10. Conclusions