Tafsir As Mystical Experience: Intimacy and Ecstasy in Quran Commentary

By Todd Lawson

Book Description

In this profound exploration of sacred text and spiritual transformation, Todd Lawson reveals how the Quran can serve as both a source of understanding and a gateway to direct mystical encounter. Rather than approaching Islamic scripture merely as an object of intellectual study, this work demonstrates how the practice of tafsir—Quranic commentary—can become a transformative spiritual discipline.

Drawing from the earliest extended writings of the Bab, composed before his public religious declarations, Lawson illuminates how the very act of engaging with sacred text mirrors the experience of holy communion. The Quran emerges not simply as words on a page, but as a living threshold to what the author describes as an "abode of glory"—a realm of ongoing spiritual connection with the divine.

Through careful analysis of mystical interpretation within Islamic tradition, readers discover how the letters, words, verses, and chapters of the Quran can become vehicles for encountering the spiritual presence of the Prophet, Fatima, and the twelve Imams of Shi'ite tradition. This approach transforms reading from a passive activity into an active spiritual quest, where the sacred text becomes simultaneously the path and the destination.

For those seeking to deepen their understanding of how scripture can facilitate direct spiritual experience, this scholarly yet accessible work offers insights into the mystical dimensions of textual engagement within Islamic spirituality, revealing possibilities for intimate connection with the divine through the written word.