The Mystic & the Sorcerer

Book excerpt: A survey of the evolution of esotericism in South-East Asia from 1400 - 1600 in the peninsula of Malaya, this book equips the novice on South-East Asian Religion and Magic with a basic understanding of Sufism, Wizardry and Sorcery in the minimal, and how the esoteric dimension of it all came into being. The works and scholars included or mention are Ibn Arabi, Ibn Sinna, Imam Surawardi, The Wali of Al'Rahman as well as many others. The book examines at length the archetypes of Shaman/Cunning man/Witch, Sorcerer, Dokun/Wizard and Sufi Sage and of course the differences in the Sufi Saint and the Malay Sorcerer. This is done unbiasedly in order to understand how the mistake of syncretism has effected the views people hold of the Malay mystics and Sages in general. This is examined exclusively from 1400 to 1600 BCE. The result may surprise you and make for interesting conversation.