The View of the Shia Exaggerators on the Imamate and Its Effects on the Sufi Worldview

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Graduate in Quran and Hadith Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Despite the extinction of most of the Ghali (exaggerating) Shia sects after the lifetime of the Infallible Imams (AS), the influence of their worldview, which was based on the interpretation of Sharia and creation, remained as invisible and poisonous veins on the body of Islam in general, and in particular on some sects of Islam, such as Shiism and Sufism. In addition, their worldview distorted or rejected some doctrines, the effects that we call invisible due to reasons such as the neglect of Muslims on the one hand, and on the other hand, their examination is necessary because of the onslaught of orientalist studies in this field in recent centuries. Therefore, in the present article, with a comparative analytical method, we examine Imamate, the most central theological perspective of Gholat (exaggerators) for the first time in terms of influencing the Sufi worldview, such as the defense of Satan or the interpretation of resurrection. The purpose of this paper is to reject some accusations against Shia by distinguishing Shiites from Shia Gholat, which are caused by confusing the meaning of Shiites with Shia Gholat and also to explain the reason for the ambiguity and strangeness of some Sufi teachings, which are rooted in the worldview of Shia Gholat and the lack of familiarity with them.


 

Keywords


The Holy Quran
Al-Shaybi, Kamel Mostafa. 2006. Tashayyo wa Tasawwof ta Aghaz Sadeh Dawazdahom Hejri (Shiism and Sufism until the Beginning of the Twelfth Century AH), Translated by Alireza Zekawati Gharagozlu, Tehran: Amirkabir, Fourth Edition. [in Farsi]
Al-Werdi, Ali. n.d. Mahzalah al-Aghl al-Bashari (A Farce of the Human Mind), Baghdad: Al-Kufan House. [in Arabic]
Ashari Qomi, Sad ibn Abdollah. 1982. Al-Maghalat wa al-Feragh (Utterances and Sects), Edited by Mohammad Jawad Mashkur, Tehran: Scientific & Cultural, Second Edition. [in Arabic]
Badwi, Abd al-Rahman. 1995. Tarikh Andisheh-hay Kalami dar Islam (History of Theological Thoughts in Islam), Translated by Hoseyn Saberi, Mashhad: Astan Qods Razavi Research Foundation, First Edition, vol. 2. [in Farsi]
Bagheriyan Saruyi, Ahmad. 2010. An Suy Sufigari (The Other Side of Sufism), Qom: Book Garden, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Bahmanpur, Mohammad Said. 2008. Esmailiyeh az Gozashteh ta Hal (Ismailism from the Past to the Present), Tehran: Written Culture, Second Edition. [in Farsi]
Bakharzi, Abu al-Mafakher Yahya. 2006. Awrad al-Ahbab, Tehran: Iran's Culture. [in Arabic]
Berenjkar, Reza. 2000. Ashnayi ba Feragh wa Mazaheb Islami (A Companion to Islamic Sects and Denominations), Qom: Taha Book, Second Edition. [in Farsi]
Borujerdi, Hosayn. 2007. Manabe Feghh Shiah: Tarjomeh Jame al-Ahadith al-Shiah (Sources of Shia Jurisprudence: The Translation of the Book Collection of Shiite Narrations), Translated by A Group of Scholars, Tehran: Green Culture, First Edition, vol. 3. [in Farsi]
Corbin, Henry. 1992. Afagh Tafakkor Manawi dar Islam Irani (The Horizons of Spiritual Thinking in Iranian Islam), Translated by Bagher Parham, Tehran: Agah, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Dashti, Ali. 1983. Dar Diyar Sufiyan (In the Land of the Sufis), Tehran: Immortal, Third Edition. [in Farsi]
 
Dehkhoda, Ali Akbar. 1998. Loghatnameh (Dictionary), Supervised by Mohammad Moin & Seyyed Jafar Shahidi, Tehran: Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute. [in Farsi]
Durant, William. 1987. Tarikh Tamaddon; Asr Iman, Bakhsh Awwal (History of Civilization; Age of Faith, First Part), Translated by Saremi, et al. Tehran: Publishing and Education Organization, First Edition, vol. 2 & 4. [in Farsi]
Ernst, Carl W. 1998. Ruzbahan Baghli: Erfan wa Shath Awliya dar Tasawwof Islami (Rozbahan Baghli: Mysticism and the Wisdom of Saints in Islamic Sufism), Translated by Majd al-Din Keywani, Tehran: Center, Second Edition. [in Farsi]
Esfandiyari, Eskandar. 1995. Pajuheshi darbareh Tawayef Gholat ta Payan Gheybat Soghra wa Mawze Aemmah (AS) dar In Bab (A Research about the Clans of Exaggerators until the End of Minor Occultation and the Position of Imams (AS) in This Regard), Tehran: Islamic Propaganda Organization, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Farmaniyan, Mahdi. 2009. Ashnayi ba Feragh Tashayyo (Introduction to Shiite Sects), Qom: Qom Seminary Management Center, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Ghaleb Tawil, Mohammad Amin. n.d. Tarikh al-Alawiyin (History of the Alawites), Beirut: Andolos House. [in Arabic]
Ghani, Ghasem. 2007. Tarikh Tasawwof dar Islam wa Tatawworat wa Tahawwolat Mokhtalefah An az Sadr Islam (The History of Sufism in Islam and Its Various Developments Since the Beginning of Islam), Tehran: Zowwar, Tenth Edition, vol. 2 & 3. [in Farsi]
Ghasempur, Mohsen. 2002. Pajuheshi dar Jaryanshenasi Tafsir Erfani (A Research in the History of Mystical Interpretation), Tehran: Samin Cultural Institute, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Hajwiri, Ali ibn Othman. 1980. Kashf al-Mahjub (Discovering the Unseen), Researched by Zhukosofki, Foreworded by Ghasem Ansari, Tehran: Tahuri. [in Arabic]
Halm, Heinz. 2015. Ghanusiyan dar Islam, Shiayan Ghali wa Alawiyan (Gnostics in Islam, Exaggerating Shiites and Alawites), Translated by Ehsan Musawi Khalkhali, Tehran: Wisdom, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Hamedani (Ayn al-Ghozat), Abdollah ibn Mohammad. 1972. Nameh-hay Ayan al-Ghozat (Letters of the Chief Judge), Researched by Ali Naghi Monzawi & Afif Asiran, Tehran: Iranian Culture Foundation. [in Farsi]
 
Hodgson, Marshall Goodwin Simms. 2004. Fergheh Ismailiyeh (Ismailism), Translated by Fereydun Badreh-yi, Tehran: Scientific & Cultural, Fifth Edition. [in Farsi]
Ibn Arabi, Mohyi al-Din. 1985. Al-Fotuhat al-Makkiyah fi Marefah Asrar al-Malekiyah wa al-Molkiyah (Meccan Openings in Knowing the Secrets of Ownership and Governance), Beirut: Arab Heritage Revival House. [in Arabic]
Ibn Arabi, Mohyi al-Din. 1991. Fosus al-Hekam, Tehran: Al-Zahra.
Ibn Babewayh Qomi (Sadugh), Mohammad ibn Ali. n.d. Oyun Akhbar al-Reza (Selected Words of Imam Reza), Tehran: Jahan. [in Arabic]
Ibn Khaldun, Abd al-Rahman ibn Mohammad. 2009. Moghaddamah (Introduction), Translated by Mohammad Parwin Gonabadi, Tehran: Scientific & Cultural, 12th Edition, vol. 1. [in Arabic]
Ibn Manzur, Mohammad ibn Mokarram. 1994. Lesan al-Arab (Language of Arabs), Beirut: Thought House for Printing, Publishing and Distribution, Third Edition. [in Arabic].
Ibrahimzadeh, Abdollah; Alinuri, Ali Reza. 2004. Adyan Elahi wa Feragh Islami (Divine Religions and Islamic Sects), Qom: Tahsin, vol. 3. [in Farsi]
Jahanbakhsh, Juya. 2013. Mathurat dar Tarazu: Goftar-ha wa Jastar-hayi Darbareh Akhbar Mashkuk (Quotations under Investigation: Speeches and Essays about Doubtful Narrations), Tehran: Science, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Lewis, Bernard; et al. 2007. Ismailiyan (Ismailism), Translated by Yaghub Ajand, Tehran: Mawla, Third Edition. [in Farsi]
Madkur, Ibrahim. 2009. Namadgerayi dar Andisheh Ibn Arabi (Symbolism in Ibn Arabi's Thought), Translated by Dawud Wafayi, Tehran: Center. [in Farsi]
Majlesi, Mohammad Bagher. n.d. Behar al-Anwar (Oceans of Lights), Tehran: Islamic School. [in Arabic]
Majlesi, Mohammad Taghi ibn Maghsud. 1986. Rawzah al-Mottaghin fi Sharh Man la Yahzoroh al-Faghih (Garden of the Pious, the Commentary of the Book the One Who Doesn’t Have Access to a Jurist), Qom: Islamic Institute of Kushanbur, Second Edition, vol. 6. [in Arabic]
Maleki, Mohammad. 2009. Khatam Awliya az Didgah Ibn Arabi wa Allameh Ashtiyani (The Seal of Saints from the Point of View of Ibn Arabi and Allameh Ashtiyani), Qom: Religions, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Mashkur, Mohammad Jawad. 1983. Tarikh Shiah wa Fergheh-hay Islam ta Gharn Chaharom (History of Shiism and Islamic Sects until the Fourth Century), Tehran: Eshraghi Bookstore, Third Edition. [in Farsi]
Mashkur, Mohammad Jawad. 1993. Farhang Feragh Shia (Dictionary of Shiite Sects), Foreworded & Annotated by Kazem Modir Shanehchi, Mashhad: Astan Qods Razawi, Second Edition. [in Farsi]
Mason, Herbert W. 2008. Hallaj, Translated by Majd al-Din Keywani, Tehran: Center, Fourth Edition. [in Farsi]
Mirfetros, Ali. 1970. Hallaj, Tehran: Work, Second Edition. [in Farsi]
Modarresi Tabatabayi, Hoseyn. 2016. Maktab dar Farayand Takamol (School in the Process of Evolution), Translated by Hashem Izadpanah, Tehran: Desert, 11th Edition. [in Farsi]
Negaresh, Hamid. 2009. Kajraheh-hay Sheytanparasti (The Detours of Satanism), Qom: Whisper of Guidance. [in Farsi]
Nobakhti, Hasan ibn Musa. 1936. Feragh al-Shiah (Shiite Sects), Edited by Sayyed Mohammad Sadegh Al Bahr al-Olum, Najaf: Al-Mortazawiyah Press. [in Arabic]
Ragheb Isfahani, Hosayn ibn Mohammad. 1993. Al-Mofradat fi Alfaz al-Quran (Dictionary of Quranic Terms), Researched by Adnan Dawudi, Damascus: Al-Shamiyyah House, First Edition. [in Arabic]
Rohaninejad, Hoseyn. 2015. Naghd Erfan-hay Sufiyan (Criticism of Mysticism of Sufis), Tehran: Research Institute of Islamic Culture and Thought, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Saberi, Hoseyn. 2014. Tarikh Feragh Islami (History of Islamic Sects), Tehran: Samt, Tenth Edition, vol. 2. [in Farsi]
Sadr al-Din Shirazi, Mohammad ibn Ibrahim. 1961. Kasr Asnam al-Jaheliyah (Breaking the Idols of the Era of Ignorance), Tehran: Faculty of Intellectual and Narrative Sciences. [in Arabic]
Safari Forushani, Nematollah. 1999. Ghaliyan; Kawoshi dar Jaryan-ha wa Barayand-ha ta Payan Sadeh Sewwom (Exaggerators; Study of Currents and Outcomes until the End of the Third Century), Mashhad: Astan Qods Razavi, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Sajjadi, Jafar. 2010. Farhang Estelahat wa Tabirat Erfani (Dictionary of Mystic Terms and Expressions), Tehran: Tahuri, Ninth Edition. [in Farsi]
Schimmel, Annemarie. 1995. Abad Erfani Islam (Mystical Dimensions of Islam), Translated & Explained by Abd al-Rahim Gowahi, Tehran: Islamic Culture Publishing Office, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Shahrestani, Mohammad ibn Abd al-Karim. n.d. Al-Melal wa al-Nehal (Nations & Schools), Researched by Mohammad Seyyed Gilani, Beirut: Knowledge House. [in Arabic]
Tamimi Baghdadi, Abd al-Ghaher ibn Taher. 2003. Osul al-Iman (Principles of Faith), Beirut: Al-Helal House and Library, First Edition. [in Arabic]
The Group of Islamic Denominations. 2001. Ismailiyeh; Majmueh Maghalat (Ismailism: A Collection of Articles), Foreworded by Farhad Daftari, Qom: Religions and Denominations Studies and Research Center. [in Farsi]
Tusi, Mohammad ibn al-Hasan. 1991. Al-Ghaybah (lel Tusi): Ketab al-Ghaybah lel Hojjah, Researched by Ebadollah Tehrani & Ali Ahmad Naseh, Qom: Islamic Teachings House, First Edition. [in Arabic]
Tusi, Mohammad ibn Hasan. 2009. Al-Amali, Translated by Sadegh Hasanzadeh & Hoseyn Hasanzadeh, Qom: Hadi, First Edition, vol. 2. [in Arabic]
Wellhausen, Julius. 1976. Al-Ahzab al-Moarezah al-Siyasiyah fi Sadr al-Islam, al-Khawarej wa al-Shiah (Political Opposition Parties in Early Islam, Kharijites and Shiites), Translated by Abd al-Rahman Badwi, Kuwait: Publications Agency, Second Edition. [in Arabic]
Zamani, Mohammad Hasan. 2013. Mostashreghan wa Quran (Orientalists and the Quran), Qom: Book Garden, Fifth Edition. [in Farsi]