Martin Lings

Martin Lings (Abu Bakr Siraj Ad- Din) ( born January 24, 1909 in Burnage, Lancashire, † 11 May, 2005 Westerham, Kent ) was a British Anglist, orientalist and philosopher of religion.

Life

The Protestant Lings first studied English Literature at Oxford, including in C. S. Lewis, with which a close friendship him. During his studies, his interest in the rest of the world religions was awakened. It impressed him particularly René Guénon and Frithjof Schuon the scriptures. In 1938 he went to Basel Schuon, whose pupil he remained all his life. In the same year Lings converted under the influence of the Algerian scholar Ahmad al- Alawi Schazalî to Islam, where he was given the name Abu Bakr Siraj ed- Din.

From 1938 to 1948 he worked as a lecturer in English literature at Cairo University. During this time he also worked as a personal secretary of René Guénon and studied the Arabic language and Sufism.

He then returned to London, where he studied Arabic and in 1955 received a degree in Oriental Studies. He then moved to the British Museum in London, where he supervised the Department of Oriental manuscripts. In 1970 he was appointed its director.

Lings published several works on the mysticism of Islam, including What is Sufism? and a Sufi saint of the twentieth century, which have been translated into many languages. His internationally best-known work is the 1983 biography written Muhammad - His Life after the earliest sources. In addition, Ling wrote several articles for the Encyclopædia Britannica.

Writings

• 2005 A Sufi saint of the twentieth century: Shaykh Aḥmad al - ʿ Alawi - his spiritual heritage and legacy, Kandern: Spohr.
• 2005 New age beliefs and modern superstition, Kandern: Spohr.
• 2000 Muhammad: his life according to the earliest sources, Kandern: Spohr.
• 1990 What is Sufism, Freiburg im Breisgau: Aurum.
• 1989 The Eleventh Hour, Freiburg im Breisgau: Aurum.