"Green has indeed fulfilled the goal he set himself, to present a 'global history of Sufism' . The books offers a singularly global historical-analytical perspective on Sufism and the manner in which its ideas, rituals and institutions grew out of the religious, cultural and social fabric of the Muslim world. It is therefore as welcome an addition to the upper-division Islamic studies classroom as it is to graduate seminars that focus on the history of Sufism. However, its argument reaches far wider than scholarly library and classroom: anyone interested in social psychology or anthropology as the science of the human soul and its states and the manner in which they resonate within the social milieu in which we live today will find this work of immense value." Journal of Islamic Studies (1 September 2015) "How Green has managed this considerable feat is nearly as interesting as the contents of this engaging volume. Adequately annotated chapters encompassing four large chronological eras stretched across increasingly expansive swaths of geography represent an interesting and not entirely predictable 'periodization'." Journal of the American Oriental Society (1 October 2014) "Green's history is well organized and offers a number of clear themes and theses." The Journal of The Bulletin of the School of Oriental & African Studies (1 August 2013) "A must read not only for those interested in Islamic studies but also for those interested in world history.

Summing Up: Essential. Most levels/libraries." Choice (1 September 2012) "This comprehensive history of Sufism lucidly demonstrates how the tradition of Islamic spirituality and ethics has been continually adapted to new social environments over the centuries. A major contribution to Islamic studies." ? Carl W. Ernst , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "This is a magisterial survey of Sufism, from its origins and early brotherhoods to the challenges of first Islamic, then European empires. Green's astute analysis catapults global Sufism into the center of debates about Islam and Muslim identity." ? Bruce Lawrence , Duke University.