In the history of orientalistic approach to Persian Sufism, a historical
controversy generated by Zaehner’s askew interpretation of Abu Yazid
Bistami’s sayings, which Arberry so effectively refuted. This controversy
deals speci fically with the question of possible Hindu influence on the
Persian Sufi. The overall objective of this paper is to review the history and
themes of the controversy, and aims to examine and indeed answer the
questions of the debate by appealing to the original Persian and Arabic
sources.