Sufism in Contemporary Fiction in English: From the Secular to the Sacred

Author:   Billy Gray
Publisher:   Springer Nature Switzerland AG
ISBN:  

9783032204530


Pages:   303
Publication Date:   11 May 2026
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   Not yet available   Availability explained
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Sufism in Contemporary Fiction in English: From the Secular to the Sacred


Overview

This is the first full-length study to explore how contemporary, Western manifestations of Sufism are represented in fictional texts and examines how Sufi principles and ideas are deeply embedded in the literary production of selected writers. Offering an overview of the historical development of Western Sufism, this study outlines its distinctive approach to mystical experience in addition to engaging with important aspects of its general philosophical tenets. As well as presenting up-to-date information relating to the major figures of Western Sufism, such as G. I. Gurdjieff and Idris Shah, each of the main chapters deals with a specific contemporary literary figure – Doris Lessing, Elif Shafak, Leila Aboulela and Nigel Watts – in order to show the pervasive influence of Sufism on their work.

Full Product Details

Author:   Billy Gray
Publisher:   Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Imprint:   Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN:  

9783032204530


ISBN 10:   3032204534
Pages:   303
Publication Date:   11 May 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available   Availability explained
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction: Traditional and Contemporary Sufism and Their Relation to Contemporary Fiction in English.- 2 ‘Rumi is cool and Rumi is everywhere’: Fictionalised Biographies of Rumi.- 3 An Insider Narrative?: The Influence of Sufism on the Work of Doris Lessing.- 4 ‘Learning How to Learn’: Elif Shafak, Sufism and the Teacher-Disciple Relationship.- 5 A Sufi School of One? Traditional Sufi Aesthetics in Leila Aboulela’s Fiction.- 6 Nigel Watts, Gurdjieff and the Human Potential Movement.- 7 Conclusion.

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Author Information

Billy Gray is Associate Professor of English at Dalarna University, Sweden. He has published widely on writers such as Doris Lessing, Hubert Butler, Chris Arthur, Patrick McCabe, Eoin McNamee, Derek Lundy, J. M. Coetzee and Jenny Diski, Elif Shafak and Leila Aboulela, amongst others.

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