Sufism in the Contemporary Shii Seminary?

What is it about?

This paper investigates the intersection of Sufism and philosophy in the Shii context during the post-Mulla Ṣadrā era. Specifically, it traces the scholars who emphasized Ṣadrian philosophical and mystical approaches on both theoretical and practical levels and identifies the roots of the Ṣūfī order in the Shia seminary after 1850, namely the Ṣūfī school of Najaf. I argue that these scholars were connected to Ṣūfī orders such as the Dhahabīyya and the Niʻmatullāhī order, contrary to the claim that they were not affiliated with any formal Ṣūfī order. Furthermore, I highlight the reluctance of the masters and followers of the contemporary “Ṣūfī School of Najaf” to reveal their Ṣūfī connections in the anti-Ṣūfī dominant environment of the seminary. Ultimately, this paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the connections between philosophy and Ṣūfīsm in the post-Mulla Ṣadrā era and speculates on the roots, origin, and development of such a school in the contemporary Shīʿī seminary.

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Photo by Anis Coquelet on Unsplash

Photo by Anis Coquelet on Unsplash