The Immense Ocean: Al-Bahr al-Madid: A Thirteenth Century Quranic Commentary on the Chapters of the All-Merciful, the Event, and Iron (Fons Vitae Quranic Commentaries Series)

Excellent, I only wish the whole of Ajiba's tafsir could be translated. This is a gem, a real find.

This very welcome translation of the 18th century Moroccan Sufi sage Sidi Ahmad ibn 'Ajiba's commentaries, penned during the last 6 years of his life, upon what Shaykh Abu Bakr Siraj ad-Din (Martin Lings) has termed the 'golden surahs' of the Holy Qur'an unfurl a dazzling vision of immutable Truth through the luminous expositions of a master of the sacred Islamic sciences of tafsir and taw'il, revealing the exoteric import and the radiant esoteric significance of the Qur'anic surahs 'The All-Merciful', 'The Event' and 'Iron': imbibing this fragrant wine of the authentic doctrines of Islamic esoterism one is transported to the celestial immensity of Maarifah amid the invisible hierarchy of the 'People of the Unseen' ranged around the supreme Axis of the Ages and here onthe opened eye of the heart beholds Divine beauty and wisdom. The commentaries by the great Shaykh Ahmad ibn 'Ajiba reveal beams of the Moon of Faith which the exoteric dimension of each verse conveys to the Believers and through the 'Spiritual Allusion', the esoteric Sufi commentary the intellect is bathed in the rays of the dawning of the Sun of Gnosis.Sidi Ahmad ibn 'Ajiba tells us that upon the face of the sun's disc Allah has inscribed the words "There is no god but God and Muhammad is the Prophet of God. God is the One Who created the sun by His decree and set it in motion by His command.'As befits a true Master of Tasawwuf the Shaykh strikes the perfection of equilibrial balance, the isthmus where the two seas (of the exoteric and esoteric doctrine) meet. This is a precious work and a fine annotated translation made available to seekers of Sufic teaching and such wisdom is indeed a 'Mercy to the Two Worlds' and an invitation to plunge deeply into the spiritual effulgence of 'The Immense Ocean' (Al Bahr al-Madid).

This review is not about the contents about the book but the cost. I bought it for 97 pounds thinking i will be receiving a thick tafsir book. Little i knew, i received a 160 page paper back book that should be around 20 pounds only. i am unsure why they are selling it for such an expensive price! I returned immediately and a week later still awaiting my refund.