Kings and Dervishes

"This book makes a significant contribution to the history of Islam and Iran, and its greatest value lies in its synthetic treatment of Sufism and kingship using a comparative, longue durée approach. Given its historical depth and geographical range, there is nothing comparable in circulation."--A. Azfar Moin, author of The Millennial Sovereign: Sacred Kingship and Sainthood in Islam "Original, highly persuasive, and deeply insightful. Kings and Dervi shes is an impressive culmination of Saïd Arjomand's many decades of research and reflection on diverse combinations of religious and political (or sacral and earthly) concepts of sovereignty and legitimacy. In addition, the book engages in comparative perspective with not only Islam and Sufism but also several other religious cultures and makes numerous secondary contributions--among them a compelling demonstration of the primary, rather than peripheral, role of Khurasan and Iran in the formation of Sufism."--Louise Marlow, author of Counsel for Kings: Wisdom and Politics in Tenth-Century Iran