This lecture by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, where he delivered the first part of a two part introduction to the essence of perennial philosophy as embedded within the Islamic Tradition, was the keynote address to the two-day event: Intellectuality and Spirituality in the Islamic Tradition--A Prelude to the Perennial Philosophy, held at The George Washington University (May 21-22, 2016). Videography done by Quixotic Worx (www.quixoticworx.com/)