ABSTRACT

American Islamic mysticism is the product and project of two complementary forces in contemporary North American society and culture. One of these generative forces is the diverse vitality of the substantial multi-ethnic and multi-generational US and Canadian Muslim communities. A second powerful factor is a more general modern American interest in a broadly conceived ‘spirituality’ that investigates and sometimes incorporates religious beliefs, symbols and rituals from a dizzying host of sources, including Islam and Islamic mysticism. For many individuals pursuing this brand of integrative spirituality, Islamic mysticism, conveniently described by the term ‘Sufism’, does not require a Muslim identity. Understanding this interaction – between Muslim and non-Muslim practitioners of mysticism in the Americas – is a crucial element in interpreting the shape and trajectory of Islamic mysticism in the Americas.