Bilal Orfali, Ph.D. (2009), Yale University, is Sheikh Zayed Chair for Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University of Beirut. He previously held the M.S. Sofia Chair in Arabic Studies at the Ohio State University. He specializes in Arabic literature, Sufism, and Qurʾānic Studies. He co-edits al-Abhath Journal and Brill’s series Texts and Studies on the Qur’an and Handbooks on Islamic Mysticism. He is member of the editorial board of the Library of Arabic Literature at NYUAD, member of the advisory committee for the Abu Dhabi Center of Arabic Language, and serves on the advisory boards of many international Journals.