Book excerpt: Readings from the Mystics of Islam is an anthology of writings from Islamic mysticism's greatest masters of wisdom, translated and edited by renowned scholar of Sufism Margaret Smith. The collection ranges from the beginnings of Sufism in the 8th century to the modern era, and includes jewels of mystical thought and experience from Rabi'a, al-Hallaj, Rumi, Ibn 'Arabi and Hafiz.