Sufi Comics has published its first book, 40 Sufi Comics! If you're not familiar with Sufi Comics, it's a series by two Bangalore-based brothers, Arif and Ali, which conveys various Sufi teaching tales and religious stories through the medium of web comics.
Okay, maybe Ali's not Jack Kirby, but the drawings are charming and expressive, and everybody has to start somewhere. I think the overall effect of the comics is consistent with the humility and simplicity of the Sufi path. And any time people can manage to transmit religious knowledge with some humour, we're all over that. I find it's "teachy" without being preachy.
The book is a collection of the first 40 comics they've produced, and it includes a page after each one with relevant verses from the Qur'an and traditions from the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions. Sometimes Ali includes a few thoughts of his own about particular comics. So even if you've followed the comics as they were published and read them all online, there's still material in the book that augments them.
The book is available for free download, and will soon be available in print from Amazon, which could make a nice gift for someone, especially those just beginning to learn about Islam. And of course, you can read all the comics online. Here are two of our favourites:
Neman's choice (note that the imam's face is not illustrated in keeping with Islamic traditions about depictions of holy personalities):
And mine:
You can keep up with Sufi Comics via Facebook.
Salaam Deborah & Neman,
Thanks for sharing 40 Sufi Comics with your readers, and for the kind review :)
This is my first time on your blog. I'm spending some time now going through it.
with salaams & duas
Mohammed Ali
Posted by: Mohammed Ali | Friday, January 21, 2011 at 11:44
This book looks great! I love the comic on the cover. But is that Imam Ali the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? I noticed in couple of the other images the face of the imam wasn't shown.
Posted by: Mezba | Friday, April 01, 2011 at 14:06
Mezba, I took it to be Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib. I can't say for sure; perhaps you'd have to ask Mohammed Ali, the artist. I think you can probably reach him through this page: http://www.vakil.org/category/sufi-comics/
Posted by: Deborah | Monday, April 04, 2011 at 21:51
This is brilliant. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Posted by: svend | Sunday, January 08, 2012 at 16:52