Both in everyday language and religious metaphor, the heart often embodies the true self and is considered to be the seat of emotion in many cultures. Many Muslim thinkers have attempted to clarify the nature of Sufism using its metaphorical image, particularly in the tenth and eleventh centuries. This book examines the work of Ab? T?lib al-Makk? and his wider significance within the Sufi tradition, with a focus on the role of the heart. Analysing his most significant work, Q?t al-qul?b ('The Nourishment of Hearts'), the author goes beyond an examination of the themes of the bo.;Cover; Islamic Mysticism and Abu .Alib Al-Makki: The Role of the Heart; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Notes on Presentation; List of Abbreviations; Introduction; Editions and Translations of the Qut; 1. Abu .Alib Al-Makki: His Life, Intellectual Formation and Scholarship; The Life of Al-Makki; The Teachers of Al-Makki; Works of Al-Makki; 2. Qut Al-Qulub: Its Religious Context, Contents and Sources; The Heart as a Metaphysical Entity; The Mystical Idea of the Heart in the Early History of Sufism; Qut Al-Qulub: Righteous Conduct in This World and True Belief in God.