Theoretical Extremes of the Study of Mystic Man in Modern Iran: Review Article (original) (raw)
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Following the political upheavals of 1978, the history and development of Shiite religious thought in modem-day Persia has been the subject of detailed scholarly studies, but the modern development of Sufism-the mystical tradition that lies at the heart of traditional Persian culture, literature and philosophy, which is, from the cultural and literary point of view at least, the most fascinating aspect of the Perso-Islamic religious tradition-remains almost completely uncharted. In contrast to the classical and medieval periods of Persian Sufism which have undergone much scholarly investigation in recent years,2 the study of the modern period of Iranian tasawwuf, though far better known and documented, has been seriously neglected by scholars.
Nationalizing the religion: Sufism in the ‘Persianate World’
Asian Ethnicity, 2024
This article interrogates the sweeping notion of ‘Persianate Sufism’ and its intersection with language, religion, and ethnicity in the context of Iran. It begins by tracing the origin of the Persianate World, a term first coined by Marshall Hodgson, and demonstrates how Iranian scholars and historians have exploited this concept to forge a Persian-centric reading of religious texts across Iran and beyond. We argue that the Persianate World echoes a Eurocentric and Orientalist model of knowledge that produces a skewed and exoticized representation of non-Persian histories and memories, thus overlooking their distinctive cultural presence, heritages, and contributions. Our research underlines Sufism as a vibrant and diverse spiritual tradition that transcends linguistic and cultural boundaries, embodying a rich array of dynamic expressions. Finally, our study invites a critical revision of the broad generalizations and cultural domination that the concept of the Persianate World entails.
Pathology of Sufism in Iranian Society of Safavid Period With a view to the era of Shah Abbas I
Sufism from the root of Suf means wool. A school that was founded by (Sofia) or overwhelming wool, claiming spiritual self-sacrifice and avoiding worldly appearances. The flow of mysticism, which later became a cult, was thought to be able to attract religious people during the Mongol period. Continue on to the range of activities. With the advent of the Safavid dynasty, this process was found to be increasing in power and consolidated this intellectual trend in the Safavid regime. Given the fact that the Safavids were the only dynasty of government that could create a bold mix between Sufism and Shiism. Sufism is one of the most important factors in the empowerment of the Safavid kings. The Safavids traveled to the world of Sufism before they introduced Shiite beliefs to serve their political goals. In this research, we want to study the pathology of Sufism in the Iranian community of Safavid dynasty, and to determine whether the thought of this sect was completely in accordance with Islam, and whether it could advance society to prosperity and perfection. Historical background of Sufism Sufism like many other things has come from Greece. Its founder, it seems, is Plethionis a name for the philosophers of Rome or Greece. Plethionis said in the world what is all is one thing, God, and other things separated from him. The human soul has come into this world and is entangled in matter and it is that it must always be escaped from this world and from pleasures and wish to join it, its source or its homeland. According to Plethionis, in this world, if someone fails to become self-sufficient, it can be the source of it. What we are sucking is not far from us, but in ourselves, and to see it, we have to close our eyes and open our eyes. (Ghaffari-Fard, p. 160) Some of the genesis of Sufism in Iran is linked to the "Shabouyeh" movement. In Quran, verse 13 of Surah al-Hijarat says: "Verily We have created you from a man and a woman, and We have made you tribes and tribes to know each other. Your dearest is your most righteous Lord." A group of Iranians, relying on this verse, not They did not accept the supremacy of Arab claims on Ajam, but preferred themselves to the Arabs. The Arabs said this band and called their movement "the Shabouee Movement" (Nafisi, 1998, p. 33) The Sufis first came from among the world's tall men and old and hard-edged monks, whom the Greeks called "Sentak", meaning that the Iraqi and the islanders were spread across many Tigris and Euphrates along the Sassanid days and the first days of Islam Some of these groups turned away from the world and
sianJPerso-Islamic philosophy. The two volumes, while reprinting a fair amount of material (some of which is of dubious quality), do present much new material to the reader. They do facilitate teaching and understanding, as long as they are used carefully and critically. The Anthology is thus a major contribution and once it is complete (in five or six projected volumes), it will no doubt transform the way in which we perceive and study philosophical traditions in Persia.
Continuity and Change in the Role of Mysticism under the Islamic Republic of Iran
The current study will evaluate the role of 'irfān [the inner perception of knowledge; combining elements of philosophy, theosophy, mysticism and Shi'i thought] within the Islamic Republic of Iran as a significant component of Iran's cultural heritage. It will focus on several prominent clerics and intellectuals who represent the regime's diverse political factions. This article will demonstrate that under the Islamic Republic, 'irfān evolved from a marginalized area to a central phenomenon and became a tool to debate the political direction of the state and the relationship between its revolutionary and republican elements. While mysticism in the service of politics was more widespread among the reformist camp, ardent supporters of the regime resorted to 'irfān to enhance an exclusive perception of authority based on the rule of the Supreme Jurist. It also created a shared spiritual basis among the Islamic State's diverse voices. The result was a new blend between mysticism, philosophy, Western thought, politics, Islamic law, and even messianism, within an inter-connectivity between the mystical path and the Shari'a. Consequently, a complex understanding of 'irfān has to take into consideration the multiple fusions between Islamic mysticism and other trends and evaluate the result in a specific socio-political context.
Sufism in the Modern World - Special Issue of 'Religions' (2024)
MDPI, 2024
Since the advent of the “modern” age, the main mystical trend of Islam, namely Sufism, has become the target of novel, multifaceted criticism in the Muslim World. The strong denunciation of “folk” Sufism by Muslim purists and fundamentalists of the eighteenth century onwards—who often consider mystical Islam to be a major part of, and reason for, the deviation from an imagined, pristine Islam—was followed by a fresh wave of Sufi antagonism by a group of Muslim modernists and secular thinkers from the nineteenth century, who regard Sufism as something belonging to the past and thus incompatible with the present. Notwithstanding these intense and multifarious critiques, Sufism has remained an active part of Muslim life and culture in both Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority areas, even extending its presence to new spheres such as Europe and America. The current Special Issue analyzes and examines different aspects of such vibrant activity and scrutinizes the dynamics of the beliefs, practices, institutions, interpretations, conceptualizations, and aesthetics of Sufism in the modern world. It offers its readership a broad and multidisciplinary perspective on the contemporary vitality of mystical Islam and addresses the issue through various academic fields such as religious/Islamic studies, intellectual history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, gender studies, and minority studies. Contributors to this volume have demonstrated that Sufism, like Islam itself, should be understood and studied “in context” and with regard to its constant change-in-continuity.