Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

Sufism and Shi’ism - Doctrinal Similarities

Abstract

This research aims at understanding the long alleged relation between Sufism, in
its Sunni Orthodoxy form, and Shi’a Islam. Such relation shall be unfolded by
drawing on the historical development of Sufism, its conceptions and its esoteric
nature on one hand, and on the other hand similar notions in Shi’ism, including the
significant role of Imam Ali and concepts such as Wilayah and hidden knowledge
(Ilm Al Batin). There is only minimal academic work that directly tackles Sufi-
Shi’a similarities and ruptures, except for a few masterpieces which all nourished
and benefited this paper. The primary sources used here are solid works on Shi’ism
and Sufism by prominent scholars who researched these topics separately like
Kamil Mustafa Al Shaibi, Aayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari, Henry Corbin, Seyyed
Hussein Nasr and Muammad Alī Sabzvārī to name a few. The paper helps in the
general understanding of Sufism in its mainstream Sunni frame juxtapose the
notion of tasawwuf in Shi’a Muslim thought.
Keywords

Sufism, Shi’ism, Gnosis, Islamic philosophy, Islamic Asceticism

Introduction

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

There has been a long debate in both Western and Muslim scholarship on

whether Sufism and Shi’ism share the same roots and foundations or not. This goes

back to the fact that both Sufism, as a Sunni school of thought, and Shi’ism as a

sect of Islam share several rituals and similar conceptions. Such similarities and

ruptures shall be discussed in a later section to measure whether or not one can

claim resemblance between Sufism and Shi’ism.

To understand the relation between Sufism in Shi’a and Sunni Islam, it must

be first emphasized that Sufism and these two sects of the Muslim religion are not

on the same level or category of Thought. On one hand, Sunni and Shi’a Islam are

the largest denominations that shape the Muslim community worldwide since the

death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in 632 AD. As many scholars suggest, Islam

has two dimensions through which it can be understood, the exoteric (Zahir) and

esoteric (Batin). The esoteric dimension is the shared pillar between Sufism and

Shi’a Islam through which both doctrines formulate their unique interpretation and

reading of the text1. It is said that Mar’ruf Al Karkhi, who was a Sufi disciple of

the Shi’a Imam Ali Al Ridha, was the first to claim relationship between Sufism

and Shi’ism. 2

1
Nasr, p. 230
2
Al Shaibi, p. 60

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

It is important though that we identify the time frame of this study as each of

the philosophies at hand came to develop on several stages and were influenced by

the surrounding preexisting ideologies of their times. As Seyyed Hussein Nasr

explains “If we take Sufism and Shi’ism in their historical manifestation in later

periods, then neither Shi’ism nor Sunnism nor Sufism within the Sunni world

derive from each other. They all derive their authority from the Prophet and the

source of the Islamic revelation, but if we mean by Shi’ism Islamic esotericism,

then it is of course inseparable from Sufism” (Nasr, 1970). Esotericism is also the

nuclear notion on which Irfan or Gnosticism cultivated.

Needless to say, this study is constrained by several challenges and

limitations due to the complexity and depth of the topic at hand. One cannot

conduct a profound comparison between Sufism and Shi'ism or Irfan without

acknowledging and realizing the deepness and diversity within each of these

philosophies. Another major challenge in studying Sufi–Shi’a linkage is the

subjectivity of scholars and tendencies to direct the research in a certain track

depending on personal preferences.

For instance, in Orientalist scholarship on Sufism, there is a prevailing

discourse suggesting a direct influence of pre Muslim Iranian religions and

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

practices on the shaping of early Sufism3 . “Because Orientalists are anxious to

bring everything down to the historical level it could hardly be expected that they

would explain this double aspect of Sufism otherwise than as the result of

influences coming into Islam from outside and, according to their various

preoccupations, they have indeed attributed the origins of Sufism to Persian,

Hindu, Neoplatonic, or Christian sources.” (Burckhardt, 2008) Mohamed El

Kahlawy in his Comparative Sufism study of 2008 emphasizes this idea by adding

that the Protestant Theologian F.R.D Tholuk was the first to suggest that Islamic

Sufism originates from Zoroastrianism4.

Many Orientalists as well as Arab opponents to Sufism support this

discourse relying on the fact that most early Sufi Scholars were of Persian origins.

This idea also supports the suggestion that Shi’ism and Sufism have greatly

influenced and enriched each others. The dichotomy between discourses on the

origin of Sufism will be discussed further in the next section. This research to put it

briefly is an analytical study of the commonalities and ruptures between early

Sufism and the Shi’a doctrine.

 Zuhd

3
Burckhardt, p4-5
4
Kahlawi, p. 100-101

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

Although Sufism today is dealt with as an independent philosophy with its

own rituals and traditions, since the rise of Sufism it was presented as a part of the

Sunni creed. For example, Al Junaid, one of the earliest prominent Sufis,

followed the Shafi’id school of Fiqh.5 However, Sufism is the spiritual path that

represents embracing esotericism (Zohd) in order to reach the truth (Al Hakika)

through a path of love and devotion (Tariqah). In differentiating Sufism from the

orthodoxy Muslim philosophical thought, it could be summed up that “Whereas

the ordinary way of believers is directed towards obtaining a state of blessedness

after death …. Sufism contains its end or aim within itself in the sense that it can

give access to direct knowledge of the eternal” (Burckhardt, 2008)

In Sufism, one cannot rely on personal intellectual faculties or solely depend

on logic to attain knowledge, but rather “it implies a disposition to open oneself to

the essential Reality (al-Ḥ aqīqa), which transcends discursive thought and so also

a possibility of placing oneself intellectually beyond all individual subjectivity.”

(Burckhardt, 2008). This in other words sums up the idea that both Sufism and

Shi’ism were founded on esoteric beliefs and conventions that made them both

philosophically quite alike. “One can say that Islamic esotericism or gnosis

crystallized into the form of Sufism in the Sunni world while it poured into the

5
Al Shaibi, p. 11

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

whole structure of Shi'ism especially during its early period” (Nasr, p. 230) Tuhfah

Yi Abbasi by Muhammad Ali Muadhdhin Sabrawazi – published in 1918- is

considered one of the oldest comprehensive academic works on Sufism in Shia

Islam. According to Sabrawazi ,he term Gnosticism got its name from the Greek

word γνωσις „knowledge“ or „understanding“ and in the Gnostic tradition it

means especially “redeeming knowledge”6.

 Hidden Meanings

Mustafa Kamil Al Shaibi offers a thorough historical analysis of the political

power plays between early Sufists and Shiites under the Abbasid and Fatimid

reigns. One of the major foundations that Sufism and Shi’ism share is their

common belief in “the two-fold nature of everything”7 From this assumption, Sufis

and Shi’a alike generated their narratives on means to unravel the hidden meanings

(Ilm al batin) and their distinct way of allegorical interpretation of the sacred text.

With regard to these hidden meanings that Sufism and Shi’sm suggest and tend to

unravel in their doctrines, Al Shaibi explains that Sufis lik Shi’a used metaphoric

interpretation to understand three areas, these are 1)- understanding the opening

letters of Quranic chapters, 2)- interpreting ambiguous verses and 3)- use Qur’anic

6
7
Al Shaibi, p.73

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

verses to support notions of Wilayah and Imamah in Sufism and Shi’ism

respectively8. According to Al Shaibi “It is striking that both the Shi’ites and the

Sufis employed nearly the same verses to support the Imamah and the sainthood”

(Al Shaibi, 1991)

 Imamah and Wilayah

This quote leads us to undertake another major commonality between

Sufism and Shi’ism, which is the hierarchy of religious figures and interceding role

of the righteous. The concepts of Wilayah (Sainthood) and Imamah are exclusively

adhered by Sufis and Shi’a even though the majority of Muslim Sunni orthodoxy

rejected ideas of sainthood and the interceding role of saints (Shafa’ah). Also,

comparing the outer appearance of a Sufi and a Shi’a religious figure, among the

similarities listed by Seyyed Hossein Nasr is the practice of using cloaq (Khirqah)

to symbolize mysticism. According to Shi’a narratives, the practice was initiated

Imam Ali and his authority will be discussed later as a denominator between

Sufism and Shi’ism.

8
Al Shaibi , p. 66
9
Nasr, p 230

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

A (wali) in Arabic stands for someone with authority and in some Quranic

verses it implies friendship. It is also derived from (Wilayah) which refers to

someone with authority and in Sufi context it implies sanctity10. According to

Ahmad Hussein Ya’kub in his - a ฀ ฀ - a฀ ah a- - a฀yah of

1997, the notion of Imamah was mentioned twelve times in Qur’an and from this

usage, the term has two meanings: 1)- a covenant and agreement from God to his

chosen sincere worshippers. 2)- the unrighteous leader leading others oppressively

towards sin and misguidance. 11

associated with the power and function of what in Persian is called walayat and

which comes from the same root as wilayah and is closely connected with it.”

(Nasr, 1970) However, one major distinction that should be taken into account

between Sufi Wilayah and Shi’a Imamah is the concept of infallibility of the

Imams (‘Ismah)

Al Shaibi offers an outstanding detailed historical analysis of the

development and evolution of both doctrines since the eleventh year of hijra.

“From the many similarities prevailing between both parties, we can infer that

Shi’ism came first and had established its whole body of doctrine upon a spiritual

foundation, just as Sufism did afterwards” (Al Sahaibi, 1991) The first formal use

N s ,p , Y ’qu , p 9
10

Y ’ku , p 9
11

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

of the term Shi’a was in the arbitration document of the battle of Saffin, describing

a group of those supporting Imam Ali as the rightful candidate for caliphate after

the death of the prophet (PBUH).12

Since both Shi’ism and Sufism embrace asceticism as a key pillar of both

doctrines, scholars concluded that Zuhd and fighting against oppression are also

shared attributes between Sufis and Shi’a. “Sufis competed with Shi’ism in

attracting both the victims and the enemies of the Arab conquest, who were

opposing the Arab rulers, and perhaps, sometimes Islam itself” (Al Shaibi, 1991).

This also goes back to the nature of the Shi’a community and the initiation of

Shi’ism to support Imam Ali and fight against oppression and injustice against the

Prophet’s household. “In the days of Ali the term shi’a came into being to indicate

the political groups of Islam (…) which had formerly been the groups of the

Muhajirin of Mekkah and the Ansar of Medinah.” (Al Shaibi, 1991). The year 851

A.D witnessed a shifting point in the position of Sufism towards shrines and the

development of their position on leaders’ divinity when the Abbasid Caliph Al

Mutawakil ordered the demolition of Al Hussaein’s grave in Karbalaa 13. Al Shaibi

calls this particular instance as “a beginning that led Sufism to the same

12
Al Shaibi, p.14
13
Al Shaibi, p.56

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

phenomena of extremist leaders’ divinity, and the same phenomena of the Imams’

Mahdiyya” (Al Shaibi, 1991)

 Role of Imam Ali

Another core commonality between Sufism and Shi’ism is the

significant role and authority of Imam Ali. Seyyed Hussein Nasr emphasizes the

significance of Imam Ali’s role in Sufism as in Shi’ism by referring to the

prophetic hadith “I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate” as the direct

reference to Imam Ali as a possessor of the esoteric knowledge of Islam14. Al

Shaibi agrees with this position and takes it even further by suggesting that “If Al-

Junaid could have expressed himself freely, he would have declared the direct

connection between his doctrine and Shi’ism, but he was content with allusion” (Al

Shaibi, 1991). He goes on by giving numerous examples of how Sufi Shaykhs

dignified and claimed authority of Imam Ali within their doctrine, including one of

their prominent Tariqah founder Ahmed Al Rifa’i, as well as Ibn ‘Arabi, Al

Dusuqi and Al Bistami to name a few.15

In addition to the divine knowledge, role of Imam Ali, notions of Imamah

and Wilayah, Al Shaibi elaborates on forms of connection between Shi’ism and

14
Nasr, p.231
15
Al Shaibi, p. 58

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

Sunni traditions saying that “Some orders such as the Rifa’is, reflected some

Shi’ite views unconsciously as they annually practiced the seven day retirement of

Muharra ” (Al Shaibi, 1991)

There is a dichotomy today between scholars who deny that Shi’ism and

Sufism influenced each other and share various aspects of their philosophies on the

one hand, and those who emphasize such link and support it with historical

evidence. Muhammad Kahlawi takes that perennial philosophical stand which

suggests the overlapping and interactive nature of all doctrines and religious

philosophies of the world16. However, and as a conclusion from the above

conducted analysis, it is undeniable that Shi’ism as a religious doctrine and Sufism

as the Sunni ascetic philosophical path share various commonalities and ideas that

prove their innate connection and adherence to the same truths.

16
Kahlawi, p. 118

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

Works Cited

 Al Shaibi, Mustafa Kamil. Sufism and Shi'ism. Surbiton, England: LAAM, 1991. Print.

 Burckhardt, Titus. Introduction to Sufi Doctrine. Bloomington, Ind: World Wisdom, 2008.

Print.

 Kahla฀wi฀, Muhammad. ‫في ال صوف ال قار‬ ‫ مقاربات وبحو‬- Muqa฀ra a฀ a- uhu฀ h ฀

-a a uf - uqa฀ra a฀฀ ฀a ฀a a฀qa -a a uf - a฀ ฀ - -

Ma ฀h ฀ ah - ahu฀ ฀yah, Al-Fa afah - u฀ a฀ ฀ ah - haqa฀fah -

a฀r ฀ ah a- -฀aqa฀฀ - ฀yah. Bayru฀t a฀r al-Tali฀฀ah, 2008. Print.

 Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. "Shi฀ism and Sufism Their Relationship in Essence and in

History." Religious Studies 6.3 (1970): 229-42.

 Sabzva฀ri฀, Muhammad Ali฀, Mohammad Hassan Faghfoory, and Naji฀b al- i฀n Rida฀

Tabri฀zi฀. uhf h - ฀ a฀ ฀ h ha f Suf Sh ฀'Ite Islam.

Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2008. Print.

 Ya฀ u฀b, Ahmad Husayn. - a ฀ ฀ - a฀mah a- - a฀yah. Bayru฀t al-

Ghadi฀r lil-T ba฀฀ah wa-al-Nashr wa-al-Tawzi฀฀, 1997. Print.

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

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Hend Eltaweel - Middle East Studies Center – The American University in Cairo

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