To what extent does mysticism require a withdrawal from the world? Is there a contradiction between the demands of contemplation and those of an active, responsible life? Is the mystical perspective antagonistic to the intellect? Rafique Keshavjee uses as a case study the Ismailis of rural Iran, whose ideas and actions question the notion that Islamic mysticism is necessarily passive and other–worldly. His findings question the notion that Muslim life entails submission to any monolithic set of beliefs and practices.