Sufi Sage of Arabia: Imam ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad – Mostafa Badawi

This unique biography of the saint Imam Abdallah al-Haddad takes readers into the fascinating world and spiritual life of 17th-and early 18th-century Yemen. The life of this great spiritual master is examined, from his early attraction to Sufi poetry and visit to the tomb of the prophet Hud – to his rise as a Sufi master and his Hajj journey to Mecca.

The biographical facts of al-Haddad’s life are interspersed with his spiritual teachings, including his take on the nine stages of certainty, the five investitures of taqwa, the stages of gnosis, and supernatural events. Sufi practitioners, historians, and anthropologists will come to a deeper understanding of this timeless and enduring tradition with this fascinating record of a seminal Sufi master’s life and death.