Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Ehsan Reisi
• Samaneh Taheri

Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Since the emergence of Sufism and mysticism in the Islamic world, numerous works and writings have been produced either in rejection or approval, for instruction or research concerning mysticism. These writings can be regarded as manifestations of the social actions of mystics or non-mystics, which—like any other social action—are not entirely independent of the influence of political authority. Various aspects of these works, such as their target audiences, structures, themes, impacts on society, and language, may reflect the prevailing discourses of their time and the interactions among different social institutions. Analyzing the relationship between these works and contemporary social institutions, particularly political authority, provides valuable insights into the ways mystical movements engaged with society and the social lifestyles of mystics. This study, employing a descriptive-analytical method with library-based research and stratified random sampling, examines the relationship between political authority and the mystical schools and works of the first tradition in the third and fourth centuries. The findings indicate that during these two centuries, mystics, in terms of their relationship with institutions—especially political power—can be classified into three groups: recluses, opportunists, and activists. Moreover, mystical writings, in terms of content and relation to other institutions and social groups, fall into four categories: instructional, scholarly, critical, and experiential, each with distinct characteristics and occasionally subtypes.

Keywords

• Sufi writings
• 3-4 AH
• Sufial Research
• Sufi orders
• Power Structure