The poetry of Nizam Al-Din Mahmud Da‘i Shirazi, often called Shāh Dā‘ī is due more attention, as the translation of his "Tale of the Fish" demonstrates. A biography of the poet is followed in the article by some illumination of his thought, which closely follows that of Ibn ‘Arabi, and some commentary of the mystical poem "Tale of the Fish". The poem reveals the poet's beauty of language, even in translation, as well as a facility with using allegory to bring life to profound metaphysical truths.

Author and musician Marco Pallis shares his insights into why certain music, and particularly contrapuntal music, "provides an image of the Universe at the level of 'the Lesser Mysteries'; when practiced with this truth in mind, it will serve as a support of contemplation and the joy it incidentally evokes will be seen as a reflection of the Divine Bliss."

This poem, translated from Arabic to English, from the great Algerian freedom-fighter and Sufi, the Amir ‘Abd al-Qadir, is not overtly spiritual, but is a good example of traditional Arab and Muslim poetry showing reverence for the virile life of the nomad and his closeness to and intense awareness of the beauty and power of nature.

Despite the widely held belief that music is forbidden in Islam, further investigation of Islamic culture will reveal numerous historical examples of music used as a means of spiritual practice. This article seeks to clarify what forms of music are permitted in Islam and to illuminate the effects of music on the human soul. As shown here, music has the potential to be either an aid or a hindrance to one’s spiritual growth – the determining factors are the condition of man in relation to his passions and his awareness of his primordial nature.

Much of the quality of a civilization can be inferred by its daily apparel. In this discussion of traditional Indonesian textiles, Hobson and Abdurachman focus on two methods of decoration: Ikat weaving and Batik printing, explaining the cosmological symbolism of the methods themselves as well as common design motifs.