There is probably no thinker within Islam who is as controversial as Mansur al-Hallaj.

Accused of heresy, he died a horrible death in 922. After his death, he became revered and elevated by many Sufi brotherhoods. His name occurs in countless poems in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Ottoman, and so on.

In western Europe, the scholar associated with his name is Louis Massignon. He wrote three massive volumes about al-Hallaj which are a great read, but not unproblematic.

Whether you like al-Hallaj or not, you simply must know about him if you are interested in Islamic cultureS (plural emphasized!), especially literature or Sufism.

Here is a short selection of his poetry in beautiful calligraphy and with a French translation.

The painting depicts his execution.