The Refinement of Souls by Shaykh ibn Ata Allah ‘Sakandari

The Refinement of Souls is a translation of Imam ibn Ata Allah Sakandari’s, may Allah be pleased with him, Taj al-Arus al-Hawi li Tahdhib al-Nufus. It is a concise manual consisting of spiritual instructions, aphorisms and private discourses with the Divine from a Sufi Master of the Shadhili Order.

The author has included numerous references to the Qur’an and Sunnah, as well as illuminating stories and similitudes, in the course of explaining religious themes such as repentance, the effects of sin, the nature of the struggle against the lower self, envy, reliance on divine planning and many others.

The work concentrates on the practical steps and the essential states of being for a novice to realise, and as such, serves as a beneficial guide for both Sufis and non-Sufis, both beginners and more advanced students.