Divine Inspirations and Sanctifications: A Parallel English-Arabic Text (Islamic Translation Series, 16)

This volume presents the first critical edition and English translation of Al-Wāridāt wa’l-Taqdīsāt (Divine Inspirations and Sanctifications) by Shihāb al-Dīn Yaḥyā al-Suhrawardī (1154–1191), a Persianate founder of the Illuminationist (Ishrāqī) school within the Islamic philosophy. Written in Arabic, the work blends visionary passages, ontological reflections, ethical counsel, and invocations to celestial beings. It reveals a lesser-known, more occult dimension of al-Suhrawardī, complementing his reputation as philosopher and mystic. Rich with cryptic references to Illuminationist worship and spiritual rank which the author ascribed to himself, the text is analyzed by Łukasz Piątak, who explores its structure, main ideas, and connections to al-Suhrawardī’s better-known writings, while also assessing its authenticity and place within his corpus. Read more