List of Figures Acknowledgements Transliteration, Dating, Primary Sources and Abbreviations Introduction: What Does Virtue Ethics Have to Do with Sufism? Companionship and community Virtue and character Biography of al-Sulami Recent scholarship on al-Sulami Companionship and virtue Chapter 1: The Emergence of Adab in al-Sulami's Spiritual Method ' Adab literature' Works of Sufi adab and adab literature Adab, akhlaq and a hwal Adab as MacIntyrean practice Adab among al-Sulami's Sufi predecessors Al-Sulami's approach to Adab Dhikr adab al-sufiyya Maiyyat al-faqr wa-adabihi Adab al-faqr wa-sharaituhu Adab mujalasat al-mashayikh Jawami adab al-sufiyya Kitab bayan al-sharia wa-l-haqiqa Kitab adab al-suhba Conclusion Chapter 2: Virtue and Character in al-Sulami's Thought What does Athens have to do with Nishapur? The treatment of traits MacIntyre on tradition and virtue Sufi psychology The stations (m aqamat ) Spiritual centres The ego-self ( nafs ) The heart (q alb ) The secret ( sirr ) and the spirit ( Ruh ) Al-Sulami's notion of a khlaq Emotional akhlaq Growth in virtue: Outside-in or inside-out? Conclusion Chapter 3: Al-Sulami's vision of fellowship and spiritual companionship Suhba and ishra: A difference in degree or in kind? The dangers of suhba The many faces of suhba and ishra Acknowledged dependence, with a little help from my friends O brother, who art thou? Suhba in the relationship between master and disciple Does suhba s uffer fools? Relations with women The etiquette of the marketplace Chapter 4: Suhba in comparison: al-Sulami's near contemporaries Philosophical approaches to friendship Al-Tawhidi: The loyal friend of selfless care The elevation of shaykhs and the bond of brothers Al-Sarraj: Companions to disturb and to serve Al-Qushayri: Stability and exclusivity on the path Conclusion Conclusion MacIntyre, al-Sulami, and avenues for future research Notes Bibliography Index.