The meaning and function of "spiritual authority" in Sufism From the beginning of the constitution to the end of the Pahlavi era

Authors

1 PhD student, history of Iran in the Islamic period, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of History, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Spiritual authority is the highest degree of religious authority, which acquires its full meaning in Qutb. From the Sufi point of view, this position can be achieved by attaining spiritual positions. The claims of the Sufis on how to achieve this position, and the common ground they share with the jurists, have not only led to intense religious competition, but have also become an influential factor in the relationship between religion and politics. The concept of spiritual authority in Sufism can be explained in terms of indicators such as spiritual genealogy and the relationship between Murad (one who is sought) and Murid (a willing disciple).
The question is how the "spiritual authority" of the Sufis changed the foundations of Sufism in terms of meaning and function, given the achievements of the Sufis due to their relations with the Qajar and Pahlavi governments. It is assumed that the concept of spiritual authority in Sufism is influenced by political and social conditions, from the approach of independence against the government and religious scholars in the previous centuries, towards convergence and unity with the government on the one hand, and tolerance with the Sharia law. He leaned on the other side.. While it continued to retain the spiritual mantle, in practice there were signs of attempts to gain worldly power.
 

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References

Graham. Terry (1999) “Founder of Niʾmatullāhī Sufi Order”. in Heritage of Sufism, edited by leonard Lewisohn.VOL II, pp 173-190.
Lewisohn, Leonard (1999). An Introduction to the History of Modern Persian Sufism, Part II: A Socio-Cultural Profile of Sufism, from the Dhahabī Revival to the Present Day. Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 62, No1, pp. 36-59.
Arjomand, Said Amir (1981). “Religious Extremism (ghuluww), Ṣūfism and Sunnism in Safavid Iran: 1501-1722”. Journal of Asian History,15.1: 1-35.
Bos, Matthijs Van den (2002). Mystic Regimes: Sufism and State in Iran, from the late Qajar Era to the Islamic Republic, Leiden: Brill.
Comparative Study of Religions and Mysticism
Volume 6, Issue 2
March 2023
Pages 175-197

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History

  • Receive Date: 15 April 2023
  • Accept Date: 15 April 2023

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