Not much has hitherto been written about עAyn al-Quzat al-Hamadani (1098–1131)—about his life, writings, social and political environment, incarceration in Baghdad, and tragic execution. Hamid Dabashi's book is, therefore, at first sight a desired contribution in the field of medieval studies. The author presents a portrait of עAyn al-Quzat as a “Persian individual” who belongs neither specifically to Sufi tradition nor to any other categorical appellations; rather, he is a free thinker who challenges Islamic sacred tenets about prophethood, sainthood, the nature of God, and so on. This gives a new picture of עAyn al-Quzat. The book is divided into eleven chapters, excluding the Introduction and Conclusion. Chapters 1–4 describe עAyn al-Quzat's life (his social, political, literary, and educational background); in Chapters 5–9, Dabashi gives a close reading of עAyn al-Quzat's oeuvre; and Chapters 10–11 are devoted to עAyn al-Quzat's death and his portrayal in hagiographies. Although Dabashi's approach is interesting, I have mixed feelings about the book, which I shall address shortly.