# Idries Shah

> Afghan Sufi teacher (1924-1996)

**Wikidata**: [Q505466](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q505466)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idries_Shah)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/idries-shah

## Summary
Idries Shah (1924–1996) was an Afghan Sufi teacher and writer who used written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works. Also recognized as a children's writer, he dedicated his career to helping others acquire knowledge, competences, and values. He is documented across 31 sitelinks and is closely associated with the United Kingdom.

## Biography
- Born: 1924 
- Died: 1996
- Nationality: Afghan
- Education: *Data not provided in source material*
- Known for: Producing literary works and helping others acquire knowledge as a Sufi teacher.
- Employer(s): *Data not provided in source material*
- Field(s): Sufi Teaching, Literature, Children's Literature

## Contributions
As a writer, Idries Shah produced literary works targeted at a wide audience, utilizing written words to communicate complex ideas. He specifically contributed to the field of children's literature by writing works targeted primarily at children. Beyond his writing, his primary tangible contribution was his work as a teacher, actively helping others to acquire knowledge, competences, and values through the tradition of Sufism. 

## FAQs
**Who was Idries Shah?**
Idries Shah was an Afghan Sufi teacher and author who lived from 1924 to 1996. He was a human recognized for producing literary works and specifically writing literature targeted primarily at children.

**What were Idries Shah's professions?**
He was a teacher, a writer, and a children's writer. In his role as a teacher, he helped others to acquire knowledge, competences, or values, while as a writer he used written words to communicate ideas. 

**Did Idries Shah use any alternative names?**
Yes, he used several aliases and alternative names during his life. These include Arkon Daraul, Indries Shah, Sayed Idries el-Hashimi, Idris Shah, and Shah Idries.

**How is Idries Shah connected to the United Kingdom?**
He is an entity connected to the United Kingdom in structured knowledge bases. The United Kingdom is an island country in north-west Europe that holds 388 sitelinks.

## Why They Matter
Idries Shah matters because of his multifaceted impact as a human, writer, and teacher bridging Afghan Sufi traditions with broader audiences. By utilizing written words to communicate ideas, he successfully produced literary works for both adults and children. His role as a teacher allowed him to directly help others acquire new knowledge and values, cementing his legacy in educational and spiritual spheres. Without his efforts to document and teach these concepts, the accessibility of Sufi philosophy in literary form might look significantly different.

## Notable For
*   Being an Afghan Sufi teacher who lived from 1924 to 1996.
*   Working as a writer who used written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works.
*   Authoring literature targeted primarily at children as a children's writer.
*   Acting as a teacher who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences, or values.
*   Holding multiple documented aliases: Arkon Daraul, Indries Shah, Sayed Idries el-Hashimi, Idris Shah, and Shah Idries.
*   Maintaining a Wikipedia presence under the title "Idries Shah" with exactly 31 sitelinks.

## Body

### Identity and Aliases
Idries Shah (1924–1996) was a human recognized fundamentally as an Afghan Sufi teacher. Throughout his life, he was known by a variety of aliases, including Arkon Daraul, Indries Shah, Sayed Idries el-Hashimi, Idris Shah, and Shah Idries. His primary Wikipedia title is documented as "Idries Shah," and his structured data footprint consists of exactly 31 sitelinks. 

### Geographic and Historical Context
Shah's life and work are geographically linked to the United Kingdom, an island country in north-west Europe. The United Kingdom entity itself is heavily documented with 388 sitelinks. Structured data regarding the United Kingdom notes its modern inception dates as April 12, 1927 (subject to the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927) and December 6, 1921 (subject to the Anglo-Irish Treaty). 

### Professional Roles and Literary Output
As a writer—a role represented by 176 sitelinks in knowledge databases—Shah's primary function was to use written words to communicate ideas and to produce literary works. He was distinctly categorized as a children's writer, defined as an author of literature targeted primarily at children, a niche represented by 12 sitelinks. 

In addition to his writing, he was fundamentally a teacher (represented by 175 sitelinks). In this capacity, he functioned as a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences, or values. This teaching role was explicitly defined by his identification as an Afghan Sufi teacher. 

### Broader Data Classification
In the context of structured knowledge, Idries Shah is classified as a "Thing" and a "human"—the latter defined as any single member of *Homo sapiens*, the unique extant species of the genus Homo (a classification with 273 sitelinks). His Wikidata description strictly encapsulates his identity as an "Afghan Sufi teacher (1924-1996)."

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. datos.bne.es
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. CiNii Research
7. SNAC
8. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
9. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
11. CONOR.SI
12. Goodreads
13. LIBRIS. 2012
14. Catalogo of the National Library of India