Inrushes of the Heart

A comprehensive introduction to the life and thought of one of the Islamic intellectual tradition's most original and profound authors.

Inrushes of the Heart delves deeply into the life and thought of 'Ayn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (d. 525/1131), a major Muslim philosopher, Sufi master, and religious judge who was executed by the Seljuq government at the age of thirty-four. Mohammed Rustom presents nearly eight hundred passages in translation (most of which appear here for the first time in English) from 'Ayn al-Quḍāt's Arabic and Persian writings alongside a step-by-step commentary that outlines every major theme that guides his worldview. Contextualizing 'Ayn al-Quḍāt's life, influence, and self-perception as a teacher and scholar extraordinaire, the book then carefully unpacks his highly original teachings on God, cosmology, human agency, spiritual practice, imagination, death, knowledge, scripture, beauty, and love.