Sufism 1100-1700
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This research paper evaluates the importance of Sufism in the religion, society and politics of Islamic western Asia during the 12th through the 17th centuries. Sufism represented the tradition of Islamic asceticism and mysticism, the spiritual and intellectual foundations of which first developed in the 7th century and were firmly laid in the later years of the Abbasid caliphate (750-1258). During the period of political disunity which followed the disintegration of the great Arab empire, the Sufi brotherhoods played a significant role in the Islamicization of that empire and its conquerors and successors. Through its teachings and practices, Sufism became an important catalyst for the extension of Islam at all levels, especially in the conversion of infidels and the establishment of Muslim culture at the grass roots level. Largely co-opted and kept under control during the expansion and consolidation of the Ottoman Empire in the 13th through the 16th centuries, Sufism co-existed uneasily with the Ottoman political and formal religious structure and emerged in places as a subversive force in the 17th century as Ottoman rule began to weaken. The spiritual fervor which accompanied the expansion of the Arab Empire under the Prophet Muhammed and his successors became muted and took new forms as that empire became increasingly secularized and urbanized. The early hadith scholars rejected the introduction of Greek concepts of reason into Islamic doc
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inally abolished by the Mongols in 1258, conquering nomadic tribes adopted the Islamic religion and used Arabic for the conduct of their governmental, legal and religious affairs. Lapidus says that "a gulf had opened between the state and religious communities . . . [and] the . . . ulama and the Sufis defined Islamic religious beliefs" (125). Hourani says that "by the eleventh century, Islam was the religion of the rulers, the dominant groups, a growing proportion of the population, but it is not certain that it was the religion of a majority anywhere outside the Arabian peninsula" (96).
As missionaries, the Sufis played a major role in the conversion of non-Muslims throughout the former empire and in whipping up popular enthusiasm for jihad or holy war. Lapidus says that "Sufism was much more important on the frontiers of the Islamic expansion in North Africa, Inner Asia, and India" (171). The passing of the old landed gentry in western Anatolia, Syria, Iraq and Iran broke the communal organization of non-Muslim peoples. In these areas, it was largely replaced by "the crystallization of new types of Muslim sectarian communities under ulama leadership, taking the form of . . . Sunni schools of law and Sufi brotherhoods" (Lapidus
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Hodgson Vol, , Abbasid Caliphate, Lapidus Sufis, Ottoman Empire, Iraq Iran, According Lapidus, Sufis Lapidus, Political Significance, Hourani Ottomans, sufi brotherhoods, ottoman empire, middle east, arab empire, 17th century, grass roots level, north africa, common people, roots level, 12th century, vol 2, hodgson vol 2,
Approximate Word count = 1533
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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