The doctrine of Abū Madyan: Synthesis of Eastern and Western Sufism in the 12th century

Abstract

In view of the difficulty to discern in Abû Madyan ́s fragmented Works the general outlines of a unique spiritual method that highlight from the broader tradition of Sufism in its entirety, this paper tries principally to track exactly which aspects of his Sufi doctrine obtained from previous and contemporaries Sufis: al-Qushayrî and al-Gazâlî from the East, and Ibn Khamîs al-Jâburî, Ibn al-ˁArîf, Abû Yaˁzà, among other masters from al-Andalus y through the translation and text analysis, it is possible to draw a comparison and see the differences between Abû Madyan ́s Way and those Sufis, showing, in a coherent fashion, the key features that Morocco In doing so distinguish his mysticism. In spite of the dispersed character with which his ideas come to us, a framework emerged, a practical method of doctrinal spirituality.