Volume 17, Issue 1 (2026 2026)
JIM 2026, 17(1): 66-84 |
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Teymoori M, Khayatian G, Rezaie M. (2026). Investigating the Characteristics of the Zayniyya Order and the Factors of Its Decline. JIM. 17(1), 66-84. doi:10.22034.17.1.4
URL: http://erfanmag.ir/article-1-1630-en.html
URL: http://erfanmag.ir/article-1-1630-en.html
Semnan University
Abstract: (423 Views)
The Zayniyya Order, a Sufi lineage that emerged in the 9th century AH (15th century CE), was founded upon the mystical worldview and spiritual path (ṭarīqah) of Zayn al-Dīn Khwāfī (d. 838 AH/1434 CE). It arose in Herat during the Timurid political era and maintained its presence as a recognized Sufi order within the broader Islamic world for at least a century thereafter. Though its influence gradually waned, the order continued to exist, albeit with diminished vitality. Initially manifesting in the region of Khorasan, the Zayniyya Order subsequently developed and flourished in another significant part of Iran's cultural geography, namely Asia Minor, where it reached its zenith. The Zayniyya was characterized by strict adherence to Islamic law (sharīʿa) and outward religious observance. As such, it did not exhibit the doctrinal laxity occasionally observed in other Sufi traditions. Among the defining features of the order were its broad social engagements, close relations with political authorities, and active efforts to disseminate its teachings through travel and proselytization. Nevertheless, the trajectory of the Zayniyya Order shifted following the adoption, by its later shaykhs, of a mystical orientation inspired by Ibn ʿArabī, along with interpretative engagements with his metaphysical doctrines. Additionally, the infiltration of certain Shiʿi-leaning beliefs into the predominantly Sunni milieu of its host societies, combined with its entanglement in political disputes, accelerated its decline.
Keywords: Zayniyya Tariqat, Zayn al-Din Khwāfī, 9th Century Mysticism, Manhaj al-Rashad, Sufi Orders.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
تصوف و عرفان
Received: 2024/02/20 | Accepted: 2025/05/19 | Published: 2026/02/27
Received: 2024/02/20 | Accepted: 2025/05/19 | Published: 2026/02/27
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