Introduction

This introductory chapter outlines the underlying theoretical frameworks for the book with a focus on iḥsān as an element of practical Sufism. It presents the connections between Sufism, ethics, and politics in contemporary Morocco and argues for an understanding of Sufism as an ethical tradition. In the context of Morocco, this ethical tradition opens possibilities for diverse ensembles of practices aimed at the cultivation of iḥsān – this is called the minhāj al-tarbiya, or the curriculum of ethical education.