SPRING 2026

Why Poetry in Sufism? From Courtly Motifs to Mystical States

Why Poetry in Sufism? From Courtly Motifs to Mystical States

What this course gives you

A working command of the vocabulary of Islamic metaphysics — wujūd, māhiyya, the gradation of being — used precisely, not loosely.

The capacity to read primary texts of Ibn Sīnā and Mullā Ṣadrā with comprehension rather than reverence alone.

An understanding of why the tradition treats metaphysics as the science of realities — and what that claim asks of the knower.

Direct exchange with Professor Nasr in open Q&A after every session — the part no book can replace.

Your instructor
Professor Bilal Orfali

Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies