Hand-Printed Idries Shah Teaching-Stories

November 23, 2023

Next year is the centenary of Idries Shah’s birth in 1924. To celebrate, we’re excited to announce the creation of five hundred hand-printed folios of Idries Shah’s best-loved teaching-stories. There are five stories in all and just 100 copies of each have been printed. Each is a Sufi classic tale collected and previously published by … Read More

Patti Schneider 1934-2023

October 12, 2023

We’re sad to announce the passing of ISF’s friend, Aubrey Davis, the Canadian writer and master storyteller.

Rumi’s Enduring Influence

August 10, 2023

We visit the tomb of the 13th century Afghan-born Sufi, Jalaluddin Rumi, in Konya, Turkey. Idries Shah drew extensively from his teaching, adapting Sufism — just as Rumi did — to his time and environment. Watch the video below or in Full HD on YouTube

Blog: Octagon Rumi Backlist

July 25, 2023

Beginning in 1979, just as the soon-to-be-popular (and popularised) books on Rumi and his poetry began to flood the western market, The Octagon Press, the publishing predecessor of ISF, printed two important titles on Rumi. Both books were produced for the general public and remain authentic landmark works about the Sufi luminary. Those titles are: … Read More

Celebrating World Storytelling Day

March 20, 2023

On World Storytelling Day, the Idries Shah Foundation is celebrating the eternal appeal and exploits of the incomparable, incredible and inimitable folk legend, Mulla Nasrudin.

Interview: Idries Shah’s books hold the answers

December 19, 2022

Dr Mohammad Farid Bazger has overseen the distribution of hundreds of thousands of illustrated storybooks to children in Afghanistan, many of them traditional tales collected by Idries Shah.

Blog: The Importance of Storytelling for Children

December 19, 2022

Dr Mohammad Farid Bazger has overseen the distribution of hundreds of thousands of illustrated storybooks to children in Afghanistan, many of them traditional tales collected by Idries Shah.