This book comprises essays by Professor Frederick de Jong on Islamic mysticism and Sufi orders in Egypt and the Middle East during the period from 1880s to 1970s. The articles in this book present a comprehensive picture of the idea of tasawwuf and mysticism together with their associated institutions, the most important of which are the Sufi orders. The history and organization of the major Sufi orders and their principal figures are discussed in detail along with a review of the available historical resources on the subject. Through an extensive discussion of oppositions and conflicts related to these orders, Professor de Jong shows that their significance were not restricted to the religious or social spheres but extended to the political sphere as well.

• CONTENTS (page 9)
• PREFACE (page 13)
• Sources (page 15)
• TWO ANONYMOUS MANUSCRIPTS RELATIVE TO THE SUFI ORDERS IN EGYPT (page 17)
• MATERIALS RELATIVE TO THE HISTORY OF THE DARQAWIYYA ORDER AND ITS BRANCHES (page 25)
• THE TAKIYA OF ABD ALLAH AL-MAGHAWIRI (QA YGHUSUZ SULTAN) IN CAIRO (page 41)
• THE LIBRARY OF AL-SAYK KALID AL-SAYK KALID AL-SAHRAZURI AL-NAQSBANDI(D. 1242/1827): A FACSIMILE OF THE INVENTORY OF HIS LIBRARY(MS DAMASCUS, MAKTABAT AL-ASAD, NO. 259) (page 57)
• Aspects of Organisation and Institutionalisation (page 67)
• AL-MASHAYIKH AL-BAKRIYYA AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THEIR AUTHORITY IN 19TH-CENTURY EGYPT (page 69)
• THE SUFI ORDER IN NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH-CENTURY PALESTINE: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY CONCERNING THEIR IDENTITY,ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTINUITY (page 87)
• THE NAQSHBANDIYYA IN EGYPT AND SYRIA: ASPECTS OF ITS HISTORY, AND OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING ITS PRESENT-DAY CONDITION (page 111)
• THE TAKIYA OF THE MAWLAWIYYA IN TRIPOLIS (page 125)
• Sufi Orders and Politics (page 133)
• THE SUFI ORDERS IN EGYPT DURING THE URABI INSTRUCTION AND THE BRITISH OCCUPATION(1882-1914): SOME SOCIETAL FACTORS GENERATING ALOOFNESS,SUPPORT,AND OPPOSITION (page 135)
• ASPECTS OF THE POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT OF SUFI ORDERS IN TWENTIETH CENTURY EGYPT(1907-1970):AN EXPLORATORY STOCK-TAKING (page 149)
• TURUQ AND TURUQ-OPPOSITION IN 20TH-CENTURY EGYPT (page 173)
• LES CONFRERIES MYSTIQUES MUSULMANES AU MACHREQ ARABE (page 185)
• MUSTAFA KAMAL AL-DIN AL-BAKRI(1688-1794): REVIVAL AND REFORM OF THE KHALWATIYYA TRADITION? (page 223)
• Reviews and criticism (page 235)
• PERIODIZATION,CATEGORIZATION,AND SIMPLIFICATION IN A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY (page 237)
• POSTSCRIPT (page 259)