Mysticism and the Plurality of Meaning: The Case of the Ismailis of Rural Iran

To what extent does mysticism require a withdrawal from the world? Is there a contradiction between the demands of contemplation and those of an active, responsible life? Is the mystical perspective antagonistic to the intellect? Rafique Keshavjee uses as a case study the Ismailis of rural Iran, whose ideas and actions question the notion that Islamic mysticism is necessarily passive and other–worldly.

via The Institute of Ismaili Studies – Mysticism and the Plurality of Meaning: The Case of the Ismailis of Rural Iran.