The Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair Hosts a Reading of the Book “Abd Al-Karim Al-Jili and His Status in Islamic Sufi Thought”
The Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion held its ninth cultural seminar at the 57th Cairo International Book Fair, titled “A Reading of the Book ‘Abd Al-Karim Al-Jili and His Status in Islamic Sufi Thought,” authored by Najah Al-Ghanimi. The seminar featured Professor Dr. Suhair Al-Feel, Professor of Creed and Philosophy at Al-Azhar University, and was moderated by Dr. Mohamed Mash’al, faculty member at Al-Azhar University.
The seminar discussed the contributions of Imam Abd Al-Karim Al-Jili to Islamic Sufi thought and the impact of his works in establishing spiritual and intellectual values, highlighting his scholarly position within Islamic heritage.
The discussion revealed that the author adopted a threefold methodological approach in studying Al-Jili’s thought: a historical, analytical, and comparative method. This rigorous approach was deemed among the most precise and appropriate for the subject, as relying solely on historical developmental analysis would not sufficiently address the issue of originality. Likewise, exclusive reliance on philological textual criticism would not yield decisive results. Therefore, the integration of both methods proved essential, complemented by the comparative approach whenever necessary to better understand the school of thought, verify its authenticity, and identify points of agreement and divergence with earlier traditions.
Professor Suhair Al-Feel explained that the author collected a wide range of documents, texts, and sources related to the study, most of which were manuscripts dispersed across libraries worldwide. The research extended beyond Al-Jili’s own writings to include texts by his students and commentators, as well as works by Ibn Arabi and prominent figures of his school who preceded Al-Jili, in addition to utilizing foreign sources that addressed Al-Jili’s life and Sufi doctrine.
It is worth noting that the book “Abd Al-Karim Al-Jili and His Status in Islamic Sufi Thought,” by Najah Mahmoud Al-Ghanimi, is published by Al-Hokma Publishing and is available at the Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair 2026.
The Muslim Council of Elders is participating with a dedicated pavilion at the 57th Cairo International Book Fair, held from 21 January to 3 February 2026. The pavilion features a wide range of the Council’s distinguished publications, alongside a series of seminars, activities, and events aimed at promoting the values of goodness, love, peace, and peaceful coexistence among all people.
The Muslim Council of Elders’ Pavilion is located next to the Al-Azhar Pavilion in Heritage Hall No. 4 at the Egypt International Exhibitions and Conferences Centre in the Fifth Settlement.