Journal Of Islamic Denominations

Journal Of Islamic Denominations

Comparative Analysis and Differentiation between Traditional Islam and Traditionalist Islam

Document Type : Research Paper

Author
Seyyed Ali Bathaei
Seyyed Ali Bathaei, Assistant Professor, Department of Religions and Denominations, International University of Islamic Sects, Tehran, Iran(Full member of the Scientific Association of Religions and Sects)
10.22034/jid.2026.545480.2597
Abstract
This article examines the concept of "Tradition" (Sunnah) within two distinct intellectual currents: "Traditional Islam" and "Traditionalist Islam". The primary objective is to elucidate the divergences between these two streams regarding the definition and application of the term "Tradition". Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology, the study investigates lexicographical and hadith sources, alongside the philosophical perspectives of prominent Traditionalists such as Seyyed Hossein Nasr and René Guénon, contrasting them with the conception of Tradition in Traditional Islam. The findings reveal that in Traditional Islam, "Tradition" denotes pre-modern methodologies grounded in Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) and divine law (Sharia). In contrast, Traditionalists regard it as a sacred, trans-religious reality encompassing the Transcendent Unity of Religions and Sophia Perennis (Perennial Wisdom). The results indicate that while Traditional Islam often adopts a passive stance characterized by a disregard for modernity, Traditionalists engage in a critical understanding of modernity, committing themselves to redefining Tradition as a substantive alternative to the modern paradigm.
Keywords
Traditional Islam
Traditionalism
Perennial Wisdom (Sophia Perennis)
Modernity
Sharia
Mysticism (ʿIrfan)
Subjects
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