The objective of the conference is to provide an introduction to the history, practices and narratives of Sufism. It will also delve into the topics of spirituality, asceticism and mysticism, and their position within the Islamic world view. Sufism (or tasawwuf in Arabic) is practiced by many Muslims around the world as a personal path towards God. The main Sufi “orders” (tariqa, or in the plural turuq) and the related figures will be explained, as well as discussing whether all of its forms and practices are Islamic per se. Though several Sufi narratives will be covered, a special emphasis will be placed on the life and work of Imam Al-Ghazali. The conference will end with a poetry recitation.

The conference, which will be given by Mustafa Abu Sway, a professor of Philosophy and Islamic Studies at Al-Quds University, and will also include interventions by Ricardo Albert, assistant director of the Department of Arab and Islamic Studies and Eastern Studies at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. It will be presented by Karim Hauser, who is responsible for Casa Árabe’s Governance Area.

Mustafa Abu Sway is the first professor (2013) to hold the Integral Chair for Study of Imam Al-Ghazali’s Work at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds University. He has been a professor of Philosophy and Islamic Studies at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, Palestine since 1996. Professor Abu Sway earned his degree from the University of Bethlehem and both his Master’s degree and PhD from Boston College in the United States. He taught at the Islamic In University of Malaysia (1993-96) and was a Fulbright Scholarship recipient at Florida Atlantic University’s Wilkes Honors College (2003-4), as well as a visiting professor of Islamic Studies at Bard College in New York (Fall 2008 and 2010-2011). Similarly, Abu Sway is a member of the Hashemite Fund for Restoration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, as well as a member of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf council.