Wilayat and the Bayan

Prophecy in Islam is the authoritative mode of
revelation and prophets are the messengers of that
revelation. As islam grew, parts of the community
felt the need for continuing guidance. This led to
the various forms of knowledge-seeking. Mystics
(Sufis and Saints) in Islam emphasised the role of
the ''heart'' as the faculty where imagination (khayal)
directly reflects the knowledge of/from God. Mystics
express this knowledge through the revelatory
Discourse (Bayan). Mystics see themselves as being
part of mainstream Islam and hence the central
problem they deal with in relation to Bayan is the
authority of their discourse.
This book examines this problem in a Mystical
tradition of Islam and shows how based on this
tradition''s classical sources the support for the
authority of the Bayan is provided at three
fundamental levels: in relation to the Qur''an, in
relation to the Prophets and Prophecy and in relation
to God. The book shows the powerful role played by
Imagination in religious discourses in Islamic Mysticism.

Autorentext
Dr David Emmanuel Singh is Research Tutor at the Oxford Centrefor Mission Studies, UK. He also Edits the Journal,Transformation, published by Sage Publications, UK.He has published over 35 academic papers on Interfaith issues,Islam and Islamic Mysticism. His recently edited books are: Jesusand the Cross and Christianity and Culture.

Klappentext
Prophecy in Islam is the authoritative mode ofrevelation and prophets are the messengers of thatrevelation. As islam grew, parts of the communityfelt the need for continuing guidance. This led tothe various forms of knowledge-seeking. Mystics(Sufis and Saints) in Islam emphasised the role ofthe 'heart' as the faculty where imagination (khayal)directly reflects the knowledge of/from God. Mysticsexpress this knowledge through the revelatoryDiscourse (Bayan). Mystics see themselves as beingpart of mainstream Islam and hence the centralproblem they deal with in relation to Bayan is theauthority of their discourse. This book examines this problem in a Mysticaltradition of Islam and shows how based on thistradition's classical sources the support for theauthority of the Bayan is provided at threefundamental levels: in relation to the Qur'an, inrelation to the Prophets and Prophecy and in relationto God. The book shows the powerful role played byImagination in religious discourses in Islamic Mysticism.