This is an absolutely amazing read by an expert in the Path who does not waste words on anything that is not immediate importance to the seeker and traveler... he brushes aside questions which have no relation to any practical action or outlook on the path, and seem to have only been asked for curiosity's sake, redirecting the questioner or giving a brief answer (though he could obviously elaborate) in order to give him focus and priority. This isn't a book overly full with the "secrets" of the Folk, but nevertheless some important mysteries and subtleties are given some degree of explanation..... i wish there was more and i started to feel sad and a pang of loss when i saw that i was coming to the last few pages. Highly recommended.

The book has many candid discussions about subjects that many saints (wali Allah) usually do not talk about. It is a must have for an individual with interest in tassawuf. I found it very difficult to put the book down. Following intensive research, the purchase of this book has been a part of the process of building a library of Islamic literature, that relates particularly to seeking the path of excellence in spirituality, purification of the heart, ascetism, and an appreciation and understanding of the experiences of those who have followed this very path previously. The goal, God willing, in turn is to be inspired and motivated to seek success in a journey of personal development. Hence, this book is a piece of the puzzle of the big picture. I have been very pleased with this book.

About twenty years ago, I spent a very short period of time in Tarim (Hadramawt), Yemen, with the Shadhili BaAlawis at Dar al-Mustafa, where I was exposed to what seemed to be a pristine form of orthodox Sufism, animated by the Sunna and focused on refining the self through practice (mu `amala). I vividly recall how everyone would wake up before the morning prayers for the late night vigil, to the sound of beautiful litanites (awrād) being recited in unison, and also of the adab or courtesy that was inculcated in the students of knowledge. This BaAlawi text (published by Fons Vitae in 2008), structured as a collection of responses to a series questions about spiritual wayfaring posed to Imam al-Haddad (b. 1634 - d. 1720), a major figure in the history of Yemeni Sufism, deals not with abstract metaphysical or theological issues but everyday questions about the Path, drawing close to God, the relation between the tariqa and sharia, and such virtues as repentance (tawba), sincerity (şidq), and love. It addresses questions that anyone who has begun to acquire spiritual knowledge may have, with answers based not on theory or speculation, but a lived, experienced, and internalized Sufi tradition that can be retraced trough a lineage of teachers to the Quran and the Prophet.

This book is a great gem. I'd say the insights are not just for the novice. They convey special meanings for the intermediate and advanced. It's a great book to come back to again and again.