Inner Life

By Hazrat Inayat Khan

Book Overview

Hazrat Inayat Khan's The Inner Life, a collection of essays and aphorisms, focuses on balance and harmony, presenting a unique perspective for navigating the dualities of existence and emphasizing the importance of fulfilling one's duties to others and to the divine. Through a blend of wisdom and practical guidance, this book offers a roadmap for those seeking a deeper understanding of their inner selves and the essence of the Sufi path.

Readers will gain invaluable insight into the transformative power of love, detachment, and spiritual initiation. Inayat Khan's teachings encourage individuals to clear emotional and moral debts, embrace a holistic approach to life, and foster a genuine relationship with the divine. By harmonizing inner aspirations with outer actions, he indicates, one can achieve a fuller, more meaningful existence, enriched by the virtues of love, compassion, and understanding.

Hazrat Inayat Khan's timeless wisdom and eloquent prose provide a beacon of light for those seeking spiritual awakening, offering a compelling guide to realizing one's true essence. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in Islam's mystical tradition, which Inayat Khan first brought to the West. His special ability to convey the essence of the Sufi path remains unsurpassed, which readers will glean in his presentation of a path that engages with the world in a more profound and compassionate way.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570622094
• ISBN13: 9781570622090
• Release Date: February 1997
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Older Editions are Better

I currently have a 1979 version of this book; however, it is published by the International Headquarters Sufi Movement, Geneva, and not by the Shambhala. I must say that I am a little shocked that the current version being offered to the public does not have the same content (as described by the table of contents) as the 1979 version. My version has "The way of illumination", "The Inner life", "The Soul, Whence and Whither", and "The Purpose of Life". Now, the publishers at/of Shambhala, for whatever reason, thought that they were justified to change things up a bit or a lot by changing the titles of the contents(I can not even imagine why it would be necessary), rearranging the contents, and even omitting content in it's original version. In any event, I find this terribly unsettling. At any rate, if it is possible to get an older version, then do so. Anything written by Hazrat Inayat Khan is for anyone coming from whatever religious background who maybe seeking more, as he respects and cherishes, whole heartedly, the Vedanta, Zend-Avesta, Kabala, Bible, Qur'an, and others. I think that this is what makes him and his work so unique; that he is so unrelentingly loving and understanding of mankind. "The Inner Life" deals with topics such as: original spiritual qualities of man, man's union with God, defining genuine happiness. The best thing about Hazrat Khan is that you do not have to be a proclaimed Sufi to benefit from his work. His work was written for everyone.

Living Sufism

If you have read the Carl Ernst books on Sufism you will get a good feel for the academic view. If you read this you will get a good feel for the living tradition of Sufism. This book is great for those who want to go beyond studying Sufism to experiancing Sufism.