Cyrus Ali Zargar completed a doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley, in Near Eastern Studies in 2008, having studied English literature and Latin at UCLA before that. Zargar's research interests focus on the literature of medieval Sufism in Arabic and Persian. The poetic expression of mystical experiences, especially in the form of love poetry, occupies most of his attention, but he is also interested in Sufi ethical treatises, the writings of Ibn al-‘Arabi and early adherents to his worldview, Safavid Shii mysticism, and satire in medieval and modern literature. He is the author of articles in The Muslim World, The Journal of Arabic Literature and Encyclopedia Iranica.

slamic philosophy and Sufism evolved as distinct yet interpenetrating strands of Islamic thought and practice. Despite differences, they have shared a concern with the perfection of the soul through the development of character. In The Polished Mirror, Cyrus Ali Zargar studies the ways in which, through teaching and storytelling, pre-modern Muslims lived, negotiated, and cultivated virtues. Examining the writings of philosophers, ascetics, poets, and saints, he locates virtue ethics within a dynamic moral tradition.

Innovative, engaging, and approachable, this work – the first in the English language to explore Islamic ethics in the fascinating context of narrative – will be a valuable resource for both students and scholars.