Please Like 👍🏼, Share ↪️ & Subscribe👆🏿

Shi’i Sufism: an early modern mystical Shi’ commentary and it’s place in the intellectual history of Shi’ism by Alessandro Cancian

AMI’s second research seminar of the current academic year proved to be another resounding success. The virtually convened event saw Dr Alessandro Cancian, of London’s Institute of Ismaili Studies present a paper entitled Shi’i Sufism: Early Modern Mystical Exegesis.  

The history of Shiʿi Sufism is yet to receive the attention it deserves. While relations, interactions and commonalities between Shiʿism and Sufism have been widely explored, it seems that little or no scholarly attempt has been made so far to assess if, when, how and to what extent a fully-fledged ‘Twelver Shiʿi Sufism’ came into existence, and how it negotiated its legitimacy and identity vis-à-vis both exoteric Shiʿi ʿulamā and non-Sufi Shiʿi esotericism. 

Dr Cancian’s paper primarily focused on one particular exegetic work: Tafsīr Bayān Al-Saʿādah fī Maqāmāt Al-ʿIbādah. The work is attributed to Sultan Ali Shah Gonabadi, who identified as a Twelver Shia whilst also identifying as a Sufi. The presentation elaborated on Sulṭān ʿAlī Shāh’s understanding of religious and spiritual authority and his use of Qur’anic exegesis as a multi-layered tool, working on the spiritual and mystical level (tafsīr as a means of spiritual advancement) as well as the social one (tafsīr as a statement of collective identity). 

Dr Cancian’s talk highlighted the contentions between mainstream Shiism and those identifying as Sufi, especially since reported narrations from the Shi’i Imams tend to condemn Sufism and its practices. The informative presentation concluded with Dr. Cancian expounding on some of the arguments used by modern Sufis in deflecting the aforementioned criticisms. 

Join the discussion - [ Ссылка ]

🕌 Follow us on -
🔴 YouTube:
[ Ссылка ]

🔵 Facebook:
[ Ссылка ]

🟠 Instagram:
[ Ссылка ]

⚪️ Twitter:
[ Ссылка ]

🌐 Website:
[ Ссылка ]

🟢 Podcast:
[ Ссылка ]

📌 Al-Mahdi Institute Programs:
💻 Access Islamic studies and Arabic anytime, anywhere:
[ Ссылка ]
📝 Apply for the exciting & flexible AMI Islamic Studies program:
[ Ссылка ]
💳 If you'd like to donate to this or other AMI programs click here:
[ Ссылка ]

© Al-Mahdi Institute
#shia #Sufi #Mystical

свернуть