Sufis and scholars of the sea

"This book focuses on the ways in which a particular Islamic brotherhood, or 'tariqa', the 'Alawiyya, spread, maintained and propagated its particular brand of the Islamic faith. Originating in the South-Yemeni region of Hadramawt, the 'Alawi tariqa mainly spread along the coast of the Indian Ocean. The book discusses the renowned scholar, Ahmad b. Sumayt. The 'Alawis are here portrayed as one of many cultural mediators in the multi-ethnic, multi-religious Indian Ocean world in the era of European colonialism."--Jacket.