Al-Risala al-Qushayriyya

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Al-Risala al-Qushayriyya fi 'Ilm al-Tasawwuf is a classic early guide to Sufism written by Abu al-Qasim al-Qushayri (d. 465/1074). Composed around 1045–46 CE in Persia, it is one of the first complete manuals that explains Sufi beliefs, terminology, and practices and shows how they fit with mainstream Sunni Islam.

What it is about
- The book aims to demonstrate that Sufi teaching and Islamic law share the same foundations.
- It blends biographical material with technical explanations, making it a practical handbook for students of Islamic mysticism.

How it is organized
- Part 1: On the Shaykhs (teachers) of the Sufi path. It highlights 83 Sufi saints whose lives show their devotion to Islam and to divine law.
- Part 2: Explanations of 28 Sufi expressions. It clarifies terms that Sufis use but that outsiders often find obscure.
- Part 3: Forty stations and states. This section describes stages of inner development and ethical conduct, culminating in adab (proper behavior) in relation to one’s shaykh and fellow seekers.

Key ideas
- Al-Qushayri presents Sufism as compatible with Sunni Islam and the Ash'ari theological framework.
- He explains spiritual struggles (mujahada) as essential to the Sufi path, opening with a Qur’anic verse (59:29) and a Hadith about the best form of jihad.
- The work includes quotes from early mystics and teachers, illustrating how their ideas guided Sufi practice.

Translations and editions
- The original is in Arabic and has been translated into several languages.
- English editions:
- Principles of Sufism (Barbara R. von Schlegell; introduction by Hamid Algar), 1990.
- Sufi Book of Spiritual Ascents (abridged edition), translated by Rabia Harris; edited by Laleh Bakhtiar, 1997 (reissued as The Risalah: Principles of Sufism in 2001).
- Al-Qushayri’s Epistle on Sufism, translated by Alexander D. Knysh and edited by Muhammad Eissa, 2007.
- Other notable editions:
- German: Das Sendschreiben al-Qusayris über das Sufitum (1989).
- French: Épître sur la science du soufisme (André Fontenay), 2016.
- Urdu: Ruh-e-Tassawwuf (Maulana Mohammad Irfan Beg Noori), 2000.
- The book is about 480 pages in some editions and has appeared in multiple national and scholarly publishers.

Reception and influence
- The Risala is widely praised as a foundational Sufi text and one of the best-known manuals of early Sufism.
- Scholars such as Alexander Khan (Knysh), Annemarie Schimmel, and Heinz Halm have highlighted its importance for understanding Sufi ideas, terminology, and its attempt to harmonize mysticism with Islamic law.
- It became one of the most widely read and distributed handbooks of Sufism in the Islamic world.

Why it matters
- Al-Qushayri’s work helped standardize Sufi vocabulary and practices and provided a clear explanation of how Sufism relates to traditional Islamic belief and law.
- It remains a key reference for students and scholars of Islamic mysticism and the history of Sufism.