Alexander Knysh, Professor of Islamic Studies at the Department of Middle East Studies, was recently featured in Tehran Times, discussing where mysticism touches Shia, Sunni, and Sufi theology. Knysh helps us understand when mysticism began appearing in Islam historically and also discusses Wahhabism, Salafism, and the political nature of religion.
Read the full article here.
Alexander Knysh is a Professor of Islamic Studies at the Department of Middle East Studies at the University of Michigan. His work focuses on Islam, Islamic mysticism and theology, and Middle Eastern and Eurasian History. His research interests include Islamic mysticism (Sufism) and Islamic theological, philosophical, and juridical thought from a historical perspective. His recent work has addressed the vicissitudes of Islamic/Islamist movements in local contexts (especially in Yemen, North Africa, Russia, and the Northern Caucasus). He has numerous academic publications on these subjects, including seven books. Recently, Knysh edited the first volume of the new Handbook of Sufi Studies series.
