Reynold A. Nicholson (1868–1945)
Author of The Mystics of Islam
About the Author
Series
Works by Reynold A. Nicholson
The Illustrated Rumi: A Treasury of Wisdom from the Poet of the Soul (2000) — Translator; Translator — 127 copies
Rumi: Poet and Mystic (1207-1273 : Selections from His Writings Translated from the Persian With Introduction and Notes) (1950) 76 copies, 2 reviews
The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi. English Translation: 3 Volume Set (1985) — editor and translator; Editor, some editions — 45 copies
Tales of Mystic Meaning: Selections from the Mathnawi of Jalal-Ud-Din Rumi (Mystical classics of the world) (1995) 10 copies
The idea of personality in Sufism: Three lectures delivered in the University of London (1980) 9 copies
الصوفية في الاسلام 2 copies
The Mystics of Islam 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume V: Persian Text of Books 5 and 6 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
Introduction to Rumi with Commentary and Annotations to the Mathnavi i Manavi (Bilingual Persian-English) - 1991 Edition (1969) 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume VIII: Commentary on Books 3 to 6 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume III: Persian Text of Books 3 and 4 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume II: English Translation of Books 1 and 2 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume VII: Commentary on Books 1 and 2 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume I: Persian Text of Books 1 and 2 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
The Mathnawí of Jaláluʾddín Rúmí, Volume IV: English Translation of Books 3 and 4 (Gibb Memorial Trust) (2025) 1 copy
Associated Works
The Rubáiyat of Omar Khayyám (FitzGerald) (1120) — Introduction, some editions — 6,046 copies, 87 reviews
The Mathnawi of Jalalud'din Rumi, Vol. 2: Containing the Translation of the First & Second Books (1982) — Translator — 42 copies, 2 reviews
The Mathnawi of Jalalud'din Rumi, Translation of Books III and IV (Volume IV) (2012) — Translator — 27 copies, 1 review
Elementary Arabic: First Reading-book — Editor — 2 copies
The Mathnawi, Vols. 1-3 — Translator, some editions — 2 copies
The Mathnawi, Vols. 4-6 — Translator, some editions — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Nicholson, Reynold Alleyne
- Birthdate
- 1868-08-18
- Date of death
- 1945-08-27
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Aberdeen
University of Cambridge - Occupations
- orientalist
Professor of Arabic - Relationships
- Nicholson, Henry Alleyne (father)
- Short biography
- R.A. Nicholson was a renowned English orientalist, a scholar of Islamic literature and mysticism and a translator of important Sufi texts. Reynold was born in Keighley and died in Chester, maintaining the strong family links with the north of England. After studies at Aberdeen University and Trinity College, Cambridge, this Nicholson went on to become lecturer in Persian and then Professor of Arabic at Cambridge. Two important books include Literary History of The Arabs (1907) and The Mystics of Islam (1914) Between 1925 and 1940 Nicholson worked on a critical edition of Rumi’s Masnavi, published in eight volumes.
https://johnirelandmusicpeopleplaces.w... - Nationality
- England
UK - Birthplace
- Keighley, Yorkshire, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
- Place of death
- Chester, Cheshire, England, UK
- Associated Place (for map)
- England, UK
Members
Reviews
Author Reynold Alleyne Nicholson was an English Orientalist scholar most famed for his work on Jalaluddin Rumi, and this short overview of Sufism is full of his own translations of Rumi and other key Muslim mystics. First published in 1914, it still has value today for readers seeking a historical perspective on Sufism, and it has special appeal to those interested in what an educated Edwardian view of mystical Islam would comprise. While his respect for some Sufi sheiks (not least Rumi) is show more profound, he does turn up his nose at the antinomian tendencies of the tradition, and he is dubious about its contributions to positive history. In the latter connection, he remarks in a footnote that "most, if not all, mystical Traditions [i.e. hadith] ascribed to Mohammed were fostered on him by the Sufis, who represent themselves as the true interpreters of his esoteric teaching." (53)
Among the wide sampling of quotations from sheiks and pirs, we can read that the statement "Within my vesture is naught but God" is attributable to Bayazid, just as Hallaj is supposed to have said "I am God." (132, 150)
While he was older than Louis Massignon, Nicholson paid considerable respect to the younger scholar's studies of Hallaj and his conclusions about the actual nature of the doctrines held and taught by that controversial figure. In fact, Massignon's major work on Hallaj was not published until the decade after The Mystics of Islam.
Nicholson uses gnosis as a translation for ma'rifat, and he may have been one of the earliest modern Western scholars to focus attention on the genealogical connections of Sufi doctrines with the ancient Gnosis and Manicheanism. On the modern side, he repeatedly proposes "hypnosis" as a mechanism underlying Sufi ahwal ("states" of attainment), and suggests that the parapsychological approach of the SPR may be useful in the study of the miraculous phenomena attested among dervishes.
Despite the tendencies toward "comparative theology" (where Nicholson judges particular mystical doctrines as laudatory, dangerous, or deplorable) and its slightly dated language, this book is still a valuable primer on its subject, especially for those who approach it with an interest in the 20th-century scholarship on mystical and esoteric religion. show less
Among the wide sampling of quotations from sheiks and pirs, we can read that the statement "Within my vesture is naught but God" is attributable to Bayazid, just as Hallaj is supposed to have said "I am God." (132, 150)
While he was older than Louis Massignon, Nicholson paid considerable respect to the younger scholar's studies of Hallaj and his conclusions about the actual nature of the doctrines held and taught by that controversial figure. In fact, Massignon's major work on Hallaj was not published until the decade after The Mystics of Islam.
Nicholson uses gnosis as a translation for ma'rifat, and he may have been one of the earliest modern Western scholars to focus attention on the genealogical connections of Sufi doctrines with the ancient Gnosis and Manicheanism. On the modern side, he repeatedly proposes "hypnosis" as a mechanism underlying Sufi ahwal ("states" of attainment), and suggests that the parapsychological approach of the SPR may be useful in the study of the miraculous phenomena attested among dervishes.
Despite the tendencies toward "comparative theology" (where Nicholson judges particular mystical doctrines as laudatory, dangerous, or deplorable) and its slightly dated language, this book is still a valuable primer on its subject, especially for those who approach it with an interest in the 20th-century scholarship on mystical and esoteric religion. show less
Rumi: Poet and Mystic: 1207-1273: Selections from His Writings Translated from the Persian With Introduction and Notes by Reynold A. Nicholson
Rumi was one of the greatest of the Persian mystical poets. In his writings he explored the profound themes of the nature of truth, of beauty, and of our spiritual relationship with God. Professor Nicholson translated this collection of mystical poems shortly before his death. It contains versions of over 100 short passages from Rumi's greatest works, together with brief explanatory notes.
Rumi: Poet and Mystic (1207-1273 : Selections from His Writings Translated from the Persian With Introduction and Notes) by Reynold A. Nicholson
Rumi was one of the greatest of the Persian mystical poets. In his writings he explored the profound themes of the nature of truth, of beauty, and of our spiritual relationship with God. Professor Nicholson translated this collection of mystical poems shortly before his death. It contains versions of over 100 short passages from Rumi's greatest works, together with brief explanatory notes.
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Statistics
- Works
- 56
- Also by
- 13
- Members
- 665
- Popularity
- #37,922
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 5
- ISBNs
- 103
- Languages
- 7
