Stations of the Sufi Path: The 'One Hundred Fields' (Sad Maydan) of Abdullah Ansari of Herat

This is a fascinating book, enhanced by excellent translation and commentary.

Outstanding, world-renowned translator of Sufi literature, Dr. Nahid Angha, provides the first complete annotated translation into English of this important guide for those on the Sufi path and other spiritual seekers. An important addition to the library of Sufi literature in English.

Amazon reviews can be tricky. For example, one Dr. Bee, above, flippantly calls “an average translation” what is, in fact, the ONLY English translation of this important work in Sufi literature.What’s more, one of the most important contemporary scholars of Ansari’s work and of Sufism generally, Professor Leonard Lewisohn, writes, to the contrary, in the introduction that this translation, “both as a work of literary translation and as a faithful and exact interpretation of the original, is extremely valuable for students of Islamic mysticism.”Readers of this first English translation will be aware that the translator’s notes make clear that the source material of this thousand-year old classic of Sufi literature is not easily available, raising the question: Has Dr. Bee actually read the original or the book he is reviewing, and what are his credentials or basis for judging the quality of translation?I’ll say it plainly: I don’t think Dr. Bee has read either the original or the translation, which strikes me as very odd, not to mention disrespectful of the hard work and expertise this volume clearly evidences. I would recommend his reviews generally be taken down by Amazon as he seems to be engaged in a head-trip that conflicts with the purpose Amazon intends these reviews to serve.If Dr. Bee had read this book, he might have noted the fourth appendix describing in detail the rhyming prose in which this masterpiece was written and pointing out Ansari’s particular innovations within the literary tradition to which this work belongs. Everything about this book communicates the highest level of scholarship and craft, which is important, and is why I take issue with poor Dr. Bee, because the proof of the high quality of this translation (evident even to an English-only reader) is in the meditative and purifying impact that this work has on the reader, which remains extremely potent in its English version.That is, the language of this work is so precise, multifaceted, and exquisitely rendered that a reader concentrating upon Ansari’s description of any given field with a longing for God will definitely feel his or her energy elevated, heart inspired, and resolve made firm, just as the Saint intended one thousand years ago.Reading this book is a beneficial and active practice, as reading any Holy scripture is. It is a book one will open at random and find succor in the present moment. It is a book one will return to many times to read from start to end. It is a book whose beautiful lines will be underscored and annotated by your own hand and copied down to carry its wisdom with you beyond its covers.And, incidentally, it is a book that you will also turn to for scholarship, to remember a fact about the Saint who was its author, to mine its appendices for information about the social institutions, literary traditions, and bibliographic treasures they discuss, and to look up the detailed footnotes to understand more deeply a concept the book has opened in your heart.In short, this is a book that still carries the spiritual light of the author even in translation, suggesting that the translator, herself, is more than a scholar, but another Master in her own right, and thus it is a book that you may well declare sacred once you have read it, placing it in a special place or on a special shelf, as I have, where you hold the things and books that keep you connected with your true spirit. Obviously, I give it five stars. I am deeply grateful to both Abdullah Ansari of Herat and Nahid Angha for this wondrous book.

This is probably the best book in the English language on the states and stations of the Sufi path. Not only is this a classic work in the tradition of Sufism written by no other then Kwaja Abdullah Ansari; one of the supreme masters of Persian Sufism, but this book is also superbly translated by Nahid Angha. The prose in this books just flows so well and beautifully; not only that, but the inner meaning and depth of inner content contained in each passage concerning the stations of the path is deeply profound on many levels. There is so much to contemplate and reflect upon when reading this book. Highly recommended!

In this book, Nahid Angha masterfully produces an English translation of Abdu'llah Ansari's "The One Hundred Fields" or Sad Maydan, as it is known in Persian. The book includes an introduction with biographical information on Ansari, the 11th century Persian Sufi mystic, theologian, philosopher, and poet, in the context of the Persian literary and spiritual renaissance. In Sad Madyan, Ansari details for the reader the "One Hundred Fields" or stations of the spiritual path that the "wayfarer" experiences on his or her journey towards God. Angha provides extensive footnotes that reveal to the reader Ansari's Quaranic references, note nuances contained within the author's farsi word choice, and indicate where variations exist between the several published versions of the work. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Persian literature and poetry, mystical traditions, and the journey towards the self.

Stations of the Sufi Path is interesting historically, as an English translation of an ancient text, and as a book for the spiritual traveler to use for reflection. Dr. Nahid Angha, as a Sufi Master and one of the foremost translators of Sufi poetry into English, shares the depth of her knowledge and wisdom in this translation of Ansari's One Hundred Fields.

Ansari's writting is fascinating and the translation seems to be faithful to Ansari's original text.An interesting read for readers interested in Sufism and Psychology.

Average translation of a good book; good reading though.