'Abaqat fi al-Hikma wa-al-Falsafa wa-al-Tasawwuf عبقات في الحكمة والفلسافة والتصوف

Abaqat fi al-Hikmah wa al-Falsafah wa al-Tasawwuf (عبقات في الحكمة والفلسفة والتصوف), translated as “Fragrances in Wisdom, Philosophy, and Sufism,” is a profound and intellectually rigorous work in Islamic metaphysics, rational theology, and spiritual philosophy.

Authored by the distinguished Indian scholar Shah Muhammad Ismail bin Waliullah al-Dehlawi (d. 1246 AH / 1831 CE), the work reflects the intellectual legacy of the Waliullahi tradition founded by his grandfather, Shah Waliullah al-Dehlawi. It represents a high point in the synthesis of reason ('aql) and revelation (naql), as well as the harmonization of Shariah and Tasawwuf within the Delhi scholarly school.

This edition, published by Al-Wabil al-Sayyeb, highlights an important dimension of classical Islamic thought in the Indian subcontinent, particularly its engagement with philosophy, theology, and spiritual refinement.

The Author: Shah Muhammad Ismail al-Dehlawi

Shah Muhammad Ismail, widely known as Shah Ismail Shaheed, was a leading theologian, reformer, and intellectual of his time. As the grandson of Shah Waliullah, he inherited a rich tradition that sought to reconcile transmitted religious sciences with rational inquiry and spiritual realization. While he is often remembered for his reform efforts and his martyrdom at the Battle of Balakot, Abaqat demonstrates his depth as a metaphysician and philosophical thinker.

Significance of the Al-Wabil al-Sayyeb Edition

Al-Wabil al-Sayyeb is known for publishing carefully produced editions of works in theology, spirituality, and Islamic intellectual heritage.

• Textual care: This edition presents a carefully edited version of Shah Ismail al-Dehlawi’s dense and sophisticated prose.
• Reader accessibility: Helpful formatting and annotations assist modern readers in engaging with a highly conceptual and technical philosophical text.
• Scholarly value: It makes a significant contribution to the preservation and study of Indo-Islamic philosophical and spiritual thought.

This edition of Abaqat serves as an important resource for students of Islamic philosophy, theology, and Tasawwuf, offering insight into one of the most intellectually rich strands of the Waliullahi tradition.