Thanks to the diligence of Professor Mohammad H. Faghfoory, the translation of Tuhfah yi 'Abbasi (The Golden Chain of Sufism in Shi'ite Islam) long considered to be one of the most significant works on Sufism, provides us with a wealth of information concerning the practical and theoretical aspects of Sufism. This work was written during the Safavid period by one of the most illustrious proponents of gnosis, Shaykh Muhammad 'Ali Mu'adhdhin Sabzawari Khurasani. In the first part, an exquisite synopsis of the discursive aspects of the Sufi doctrine and its relationship with Shi'ism is presented and in the second part, specific practices of the practitioners of the Sufi path are discussed in some detail. I highly recommend this book to the students of Sufism, Islamic studies, Islamic intellectual thought and religious studies. It should be used as a text for Sufi studies for years to come..

Mehdi Aminrazavi, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, University of Mary Washington

Mohammad H. Faghfoory has rendered a great service in making available for the first time a work that is perhaps the most important Sufi text of the Safavid period. This book is of great value for students of Sufism, Shi'ism and Persian culture of the Safavid period in general.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr, George Washington University, author of Knowledge and the Sacred

Muslim scholars believe that purification of the soul is attainable through pursuing rigorous spiritual life and practices. This is the essential objective of esoteric Islam. In my opinion, Tuhfah yi 'Abbasi is the best book written on this subject from a Shi'ite perspective. It explains in simple language the details of spiritual journey and the processes that an aspiring wayfarer goes through to purify his soul and reach spiritual perfection.

Ayatullah Dr. Sayyid Fazil Milani, Muslim Scholar; Dean, International Colleges for Islamic Studies, London

Thanks to the diligence of Professor Mohammad H. Faghfoory, the translation of Tuhfah yi 'Abbasi (The Golden Chain of Sufism in Shi'ite Islam) long considered to be one of the most significant works on Sufism, provides us with a wealth of information concerning the practical and theoretical aspects of Sufism. This work was written during the Safavid period by one of the most illustrious proponents of gnosis, Shaykh Muhammad 'Ali Mu'adhdhin Sabzawari Khurasani. In the first part, an exquisite synopsis of the discursive aspects of the Sufi doctrine and its relationship with Shi'ism is presented and in the second part, specific practices of the practitioners of the Sufi path are discussed in some detail. I highly recommend this book to the students of Sufism, Islamic studies, Islamic intellectual thought and religious studies. It should be used as a text for Sufi studies for years to come.

Mehdi Aminrazavi, Professor of Philosophy and Religion, University of Mary Washington