The book and the roses

Sufism is Islam's principal mystical tradition, providing its followers with the inner, esoteric or purely spiritual dimension of their faith. This path to spirituality has developed over centuries throughout the Islamic world, fundamentally influencing the religion and its followers, and has been a domain perceived as largely occupied by men. The Book and the Roses, however, reveals the place of women within Sufism--within its spiritual tradition and within its practice--looking particularly at the zikr prayer (the repetitive act of chanting "the most beautiful names of god"). Concentrating on Sufi women living in Istanbul, the book effectively examines Islam as a lived practice. The result is a valuable contribution to our knowledge of the development of the modern Turkish Muslim movement, and to Islamic studies and women's studies in general.