?A?ishah al-Ba?uniyyah (d. 923 H/1517 AD) of Damascus was one of thegreat women scholars in Islamic history. A mystic and prolific poet and writer, ?A?ishah composed more works inArabic than any other woman before the 20th century. Yet despite herextraordinary literary and religious achievements, ?A?ishah al-Ba?uniyyahremainslargely unknown. For the first time her key work, The Principles ofSufism, is available in English translation. The Principles of Sufism is a mystical guide book to help others on their spiritualpath. She recounts the fundamental stages and states of the spiritualnovice's transformative journey, emphasizing the importance of embracing bothhuman limitations and God's limitless love. Drawing on lessons and readingsfrom centuries-old Sufi tradition, ?A?ishah advises the seeker to repent ofselfishness and turn to a sincere life of love. In addition to his lucidtranslation, Th. Emil Homerin provides an insightful introduction, notes and a glossaryto ?A?ishah al-Ba?uniyyah's remarkable account of the pursuit of mysticalillumination.