Sufis vs. Shiahs in Iran

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm by Svend White

Sufis vs. Shiahs in Iran 2013-05-07T18:41:44-05:00 Svend White

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Police, Sufis clash in Iran

Sufi Muslim spirituality is tolerated under mainly Shia Iran’s strict Islamic laws, although some senior religious figures occasionally call for a clampdown on its rites.
Foreign plot
Abbas Mohtaj, the governor-general of Qom, accused the dervishes of being part of a foreign plot, but he did not explain this.
[…]
The Sufis’ mystical path to God through dance and music does not go down well with some of the most senior religious figures in the country.
Ayat Allah Hossein Nouri-Hamedani in September called for a clampdown on dervish groups in the holy city of Qom, which he called a "danger to Islam".

I’d be interested in learning more about the doctrinal objections to Sufism that are put forward by conservatives in Iran, and comparing them against those of Salafis and other critics of Sufism.

I find this dynamic particularly intriguing given how much Sunni Sufism and orthodox Shiahism seem to have in common in terms of devotional practice and mystical discourse, at least compared to Salafism and many other contemporary Islamic movements.

In fact, Zahir makes the interesting argument that Shiahs don’t need to become Sufi to be mystical, as mysticism is woven into their tradition. If that’s true, I wonder what doctrinal issues the clerical establishment has with Sufism (other than the fact that most Sufis are Sunni).

[HT: Anas, who emailed me this last week; Shabana, for reminding me of my forgotten draft by posting on the topic.]

Islamic Thought

Previous Post

February 17, 2006

"Europe’s Contempt for Other Cultures Can’t be Sustained"

Next Post

February 17, 2006 Pakistanis protesting against cartoons

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category American Politics Animals in Islam Anti-Semitism Christian Jihadism Christianity Culture & the Arts Current Affairs Denmark Dogs in Islam Family life Film Gender Great MP3s Hate in America Imam W.D. Mohammed Interfaith Dialogue International Affairs Islam and the Left Islamic Thought Islamophobia Jihad Judaism Legos Link of the Day Marriage Misc Modernity/Post-Modernity Mormonism Multiculturalism Music Muslims in the Melting Pot Must-Listen Podcasts Non-Muslims and Islam Pakistan Pictures Pigs in Islam Polygamy Pork Progressive Muslims Race Relations Really Important Stuff Religion Required Reading Robert Spencer Scandinavia Science Science Fiction Sex in Islam So-called Globalization South Asia Star Trek Strange but True Studying Arabic Stupid Muslim Tricks Sufism/Tasawwuf Television The "Miami 7" hoopla The Corporate Media The Danish cartoons The GWOT The Jihad against Islam The Middle East Vikings! Wahhabism/Salafism Washington and the Middle East Web/Tech Women in Islam

Select a Month March 2014 February 2014 November 2013 September 2013 July 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 September 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Christian denomination places great emphasis on "justification by faith alone"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Orthodox Methodists Lutherans Catholics