Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Level Four Student in Comparative Theology (Kalām−iMuqāran), Specialized School of Nawwāb, Islamic Seminary of Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran
2
Level Two Student in General Jurisprudence and Principles (Fiqh and Uṣuˉl), School of Faḍl ibn Shādhān, Islamic Seminary of Khorasan, Nishapur, Iran
10.52547/has.2025.2747.1084
Abstract
This article examines the historical development of taṣawwuf (Sufism) and Sufi orders in Nīshābūr, a city that has long been regarded as one of the major centers of Sufism in Islamic history. Owing to its geographical, cultural, and intellectual significance, Nīshāpūr emerged—beginning from the early Islamic centuries—as a crucial locus for the growth and flourishing of Sufi thought and practice. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, the study investigates the historical periods of Sufism in Nīshāpūr and the formation of its notable Sufi groups, including the Malāmatīyah, Karāmīyah, and Baktāshīyah. The article further elucidates the cultural, social, and spiritual impact of Nīshāpūr on Islamic Sufism and highlights the city’s role in shaping and disseminating Sufi traditions. During the third and fourth centuries AH, Nīshāpūr reached the height of its spiritual and intellectual prominence, particularly with the emergence of leading mystics such as Bāyazīd Basṭāmī and Abū Saʿīd Kharrāz. As a major scholarly and cultural hub, the city exerted a lasting influence on mystical literature and Islamic teachings. In addition, the study critically evaluates the existing sources on Sufism in Nīshāpūr and demonstrates the city’s significance in the broader history of Sufism and ʿirfān. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of intellectual and spiritual developments in Islamic history and clarifies the central position of Nīshāpūr as a pivotal spiritual and scholarly center in this trajectory.
Keywords