The Saint and the SwordI Episode 10 I Koshar Musalman I Podcast: Dr.Farah El-Sharif

 YouTube Video Podcast: Sep 16, 2023

https://youtu.be/qe3CQWwD1wk?si=ljsD2jO_aelh1Ppv

According to Paul Heck, networks of taṣawwuf took the lead in resisting European colonial powers in the nineteenth century, for example in North Africa against the French and in the North Caucasus against the Russians. In this podcast, we speak to Dr. Farah El-Sharif, about how Sufi scholars led the resistance against colonial powers and injustice. In her work, she highlights how, for Sufi warriors like Emir Abdelkader and Omar Mukhtar, the commitment to principled resistance against oppression came about because of their commitment to taṣawwuf, not in spite of it. Contrary to the popular association of taṣawwuf with political quietism and docile pacifism, Dr. Farah brings our attention to how many doyens of taṣawwuf did not disengage themselves from the struggle against oppression, but instead actively participated in it. We also talked about India's domestication of taṣawwuf in Kashmir.

Dr. Farah El-Sharif's Article : The Maydan, Jan 31, 2023

The Saint and the Sword:How Sufi Scholars of the Nineteenth Century resisted Colonialism & State Repression: https://themaydan.com/2023/01/the-saint-and-the-sword/ 

Amazon Book: Sufi Warrior Saints:Stories of Sifi Jihad from Muslim Hagiography: Harry S. Neele

This book presents a thematic collection of hagiographical stories of Sufi saints, often referred to as friends of Gods. Despite the diverse wealth of Sufi works, much of the rich, global and centuries old literature of Sufi warrior-saints, has yet to be translated into English. Examining hagiographical depictions of Sufi mujahids, Neale corrects frequent misunderstandings of the term jihad in relation to Sufi thought and practice. Using Sufi hagiography, treatises, travel narratives and Muslim histories, each chapter comprises the lives of Sufi saints during significant historical events, from the Crusades to the Mongol Invasion and in regions ranging from Islamic Spain to North Africa and India.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sufi-Warrior-Saints-Stories-Hagiography/dp/0755643372

Amazon Book: Sufism and Politics: The Power of Spirituality: Paul L Heck

Sufism is often overlooked in scholarly consideration of the politics of the Muslim world. The articles comprising this volume consolidate thinking about the political dimension of Sufism and offer new horizons for scholarly reflection on the role of Sufism in Muslim society. Sufism has been an active player in defining the societal nature of Islam, no less than its theological nature, and this volume underscores the way in which Sufism has played that role while adapting itself to changing political considerations. Issues include authority and institutional interests; the moral good and the state; patronage, power, and the competitive politics of sainthood; theological assessments of the value of the world, justice, and conceptions of civil society as seen through the eyes of Sufism.

https://www.amazon.com/Sufism-Politics-Spirituality-Paul-Heck/dp/1558764224