Idries Shah (1924-1996) was a British author and teacher in the Sufi tradition. He was born in India to an Afghan-Indian father and a British mother, and grew up in England. Shah wrote extensively about Sufism, Islamic mysticism, and spirituality, and was also known for his work on psychology, philosophy, and cultural anthropology.
Shah published over three dozen books, including "The Sufis" (1964), "The Way of the Sufi" (1968), "The Hundred Tales of Wisdom" (1968), and "Caravan of Dreams" (1988). He was instrumental in introducing Sufi thought and practices to Western audiences, and his work had a significant impact on popular understanding of Sufism.
Shah was also known for his controversial claims about the origins and history of Sufism, as well as his purported role as a teacher of the Sufi path. Some of his claims, such as his assertion that Sufism originated in pre-Islamic Persia and was not exclusively Islamic, have been met with skepticism and criticism by some scholars.
Despite this controversy, Shah's work on Sufism and spirituality continues to be influential, and his books are widely read by people interested in mysticism and spiritual growth.