Explaining the Political Evolutions and Change of the Sufism in Relation to the Shiism

Document Type : .

Author

.Faculty Member of Futuh Islamic Research Institute

Abstract

Sufism in the Islamic world is rooted in Sunnism, and it was formed as a social institution since the second century. In many situations and circunstances, Sufism has been defended by the ruling political system of the time for political reasons. However, Shiism, on account of certain political and instructional similarities, and in some historical epochs due to lack of any other alternative and for historical consciousness has attempted to approach Sufism and has even tried to capture Sufism for itself. It can be said that before the formation of the safavid movement and government, Sufism which was for the Sunis a historical residence turned into a channel for the Shiite movement. In fact, the present article intends to display and explain the political evolutions of Sufism and the manners and ways through which Shiism attempted to enter in the realm of Sufism and also the aspects and the quality of the interactions between Sufism and Shiism till the beginning of the formation of the Safavid government are discussed in this article.

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