WRITING ON WATER ( A case study of Shafi’i Kadkani’s book on Abu’l Hasan Kharaqani)

Abstract

: Dr. Muhammad Reza Shafi’i Kadkani, Professor of Tehran University, Iran is a worldly renowned scholar of Persian and Sufi Literature. In a series of books about great Sufis of Islam and Persia he presented a Persian book about Abu’l Hasan Kharaqani (d.425 /1033) entitled NEVESHTEH BAR DARYA (WRITING ON WATER or RIVER), Published by Sokhan, Tehran, 2005 in a series of publications “from the heritage of Iranian Sufism”. The book comprised of 7 chapters:
1. A comprehensive preface by author about life history, sayings and teachings of Abu’l Hasan Kharaqani and his place in Islamic mystics.
2. An extract from Persian text of Tazkeratul Auliya of Attar Nishaburi about Kharaqani.
3. Persian text of an old treatise Zekr e Qutab alsalkin about Kharaqani.
4. A summary of Noor’l ‘uloom, a 7th century Hijra book about Kharaqani.
5. Some editions from a rare manuscript of Tazkeratul Auliya of Attar Nishaburi about Kharaqani.
6. Kharaqani was quoted by others (from Qushairi to Jami(.
7. Commentary of Najmuddin Razi on a quotation by Kharaqani: هخلوق غیش الصوفی
Dr. Kadkani concluded his book with some detailed notes, indexes and bibliography.
The book is a great scholarly effort by author about life history and teachings of Abu’l Hasan Kharaqani and latest research work on Abu’l Hasan Kharaqani.