Rashid al-Din Maybudi’s Kashf al-Asrar

The relationship between Qur’anic interpretation and spiritual reflection is a major theme in classical Islamic literature. Rashīd al-Dīn Maybudī’s commentary offers an especially rich example of this tradition, combining accessible explanation with poetic language and discussions of the inner life. This English presentation introduces readers to a distinctive work of Persian-language Qur’anic scholarship.

About the Book

Rashid al-Din Maybudi’s Kashf al-Asrarر presents material from Kashf al-Asrār, translated and introduced by William C. Chittick.

The work belongs to the tradition of Qur’anic interpretation associated with Rashīd al-Dīn Maybudī.

Its title, commonly rendered as The Unveiling of the Mysteries, reflects an interest in the deeper religious meanings of revelation.

The volume is arranged according to the sequence of Qur’anic chapters and verses.

It contains material corresponding to ninety-seven chapters of the Qur’an, with explanations devoted to selected passages.

The underlying text comprises approximately 1,500 pages of Persian material.

Its subjects extend across Islamic theology, metaphysics, cosmology, and spiritual psychology.

The commentary considers how Qur’anic teachings illuminate questions concerning God, creation, human existence, and the development of the spiritual self.

An important characteristic of Maybudī’s writing is its literary accessibility.

Rather than relying exclusively upon technical philosophical terminology, the work frequently employs relatively simple and poetic language.

This style allows complex religious ideas to be communicated through memorable expressions and reflective observations.

The commentary also illustrates the relationship between Qur’anic interpretation and the broader Persian literary tradition.

Its spiritual discussions emphasize the significance of inner transformation and the cultivation of religious awareness.

The combination of theological subjects and expressive language distinguishes the work from commentaries devoted primarily to jurisprudence or grammatical explanation.

Chittick’s English presentation makes this material available to readers who may not have direct access to the Persian original.

The result is a resource for studying the intellectual and devotional dimensions of classical Qur’anic commentary.

What You Will Discover

• Selected Qur’anic commentary from Maybudī’s Kashf al-Asrār.
• The relationship between theology and spiritual interpretation.
• Discussions concerning metaphysics, cosmology, and human existence.
• Reflections on spiritual psychology and inner transformation.
• The use of poetic language in Persian Qur’anic scholarship.
• An introduction to a significant classical exegetical tradition.

Who Is This Book For?

This book is suitable for students of Islamic spirituality, researchers in Persian literature, scholars of Qur’anic interpretation, and readers interested in classical Islamic metaphysics. It is especially useful for examining how literary expression and spiritual reflection contribute to the understanding of revelation.