The Poēsis of Poetry: Poetic Practice and Sufi Metaphysics in Oludamini Ogunnaike's The Book of Clouds.

The main focus of the article is Oludamini Ogunnaike's *The Book of Clouds*, a 2024 poetic work that integrates Sufi metaphysics, epistemology, and ethical reflection within West African Islamic traditions. The book employs classical Islamic poetic genres such as madīḥ (praise poetry), ghazal, and w...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Religious Studies Review (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 892 - 896
Autor principal: Kunateh, Amadu
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dec2025
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The main focus of the article is Oludamini Ogunnaike's *The Book of Clouds*, a 2024 poetic work that integrates Sufi metaphysics, epistemology, and ethical reflection within West African Islamic traditions. The book employs classical Islamic poetic genres such as madīḥ (praise poetry), ghazal, and wine odes to enact knowledge production, demonstrating that poetic form is inseparable from philosophical and theological insight in Sufi thought. Structured into six sections, the collection explores themes like divine love, spiritual unveiling, and political theology, bridging historical Sufi intellectual lineages with contemporary issues of grief and justice. Ogunnaike’s approach challenges conventional academic boundaries by positioning poetry as a rigorous epistemic practice that mediates between human limitation and divine presence, offering a model for immersive scholarly and spiritual engagement.