IAS New Releases
Iqra: Read in the Name of the Most Merciful
by Shah Nazar Dr. Seyyed Ali Kianfar
Qur’anic exegesis (tafsīr) is one of the foundational traditions in Islamic intellectual disciplines. It is devoted to the interpretation of the verses of the Qur’an by scholars deeply grounded in linguistic, theological, and spiritual sciences. Over centuries, tafsīr has given rise to diverse schools of thought, contributing richly to Islamic philosophy, jurisprudence, theology, and literature. This present work is devoted to the mystical interpretation of several key chapters of the Qur’an, beginning with the foundational revelation of Iqraʾ. These commentaries are authored by Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar, a distinguished scholar and a Sufi master of the Uwaiysi Sufi tradition.
The Breath of the Merciful: Biographies of Uwaiys-i Qaran and Selected Sufi Masters
Introduction by Nahid Angha
The year was 622. Prophet Muhammad and his followers left Mecca for Medina, undertaking a migration (hijra) that marked the beginning of the Islamic calendar. It was in Medina where the first Islamic Mosque was built. It included a raised platform, where some of the Prophet’s followers would congregate; they were called Ahle Suffah, the People of the Platform. It is from this platform that the seeds of Tasawwuf, one of the most celebrated mystical movements in the history of human spirituality, were cultivated; the school, whose foundational principles emphasized knowledge of the heart. The focus of this book is on a few of the Sufis who walked that path.
IAS Featured Releases
Sufism: An Inquiry
Sufism: An Inquiry, the world’s longest running journal on Sufism, was first published in 1987 with over 60 print volumes and currently available in a beautiful online format. Since its inception, the journal has included articles on human rights, scientific inquiries, new translations of classic works of Sufi literature and poetry, the stories of Sufi saints previously unavailable in English, and articles and essays by leading Sufi masters, poets, psychologists on human development and the spiritual path. It features editorial content by Dr. Nahid Angha and Dr. Ali Kianfar, and also incorporates relevant reports and essays from the works of many Sufi schools, the United Nations and interfaith organizations.
Sufism: An Inquiry continues to explore the cultural gifts of world religions diversely embodied around the planet and provides insight into a wide variety of effective practices for spiritual development.
“In the Universe, the history of the journey from eternity to eternity, the destiny
and the mystery of each being, is wrapped within the being itself.”
– Shah Nazar Seyyed Dr. Ali Kianfar
Sufism: An Inquiry Vol. 20.1
Dr. Nahid Angha & Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar
Transformation & Awareness
Science & Spirituality
Poetry, Interviews, Reflections, Stories
Sufism: An Inquiry Vol. 19.4
Dr. Nahid Angha & Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar
The Heart & Electromagnetism
Science & Spirituality
Celebrating the Mystical Poetry of Sufism
Sufism: An Inquiry Vol. 19.3
Dr. Nahid Angha & Shah Nazar Seyyed Ali Kianfar
Spiritual Principles and Practices: The Heart
Sufi Psychology and Focused Attention
The Mystical Poetry of Sufism
