A Sudy on the Concept of "Kufr" in Sufism until the 5th Century A.H

Subject Areas : Islamic Mysticism

Seyyed Amir Muhammad  Tabatabayi Waez ¹ (کارشناس ارشد ادیان و عرفان تطبیقی،دانشگاه فردوسی،مشهد،ایران.)
Seyyedeh Fatemeh Zare  Hoseini ² (استادیارگروه ادیان و عرفان تطبیقی، دانشکدة الهیات، دانشگاه فردوسی، مشهد، ایران.نویسنده مسئول: [e-mail])

Received: 2019-04-24 Accepted : 2019-07-31 Published : 2022-09-23

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Abstract :

One of the basic issues in Sufism and Islamic mysticism, especially in theoretical mysticism, is the concept of "kufr" and its status in the universe as well as its role in religion and faith. By studying written works of Muslim mystics, we can see various views in this regard. However, these views are sometimes in clear contradiction, but through studying and putting together these views, we can realize that this concept have had a gradual development in meaning throughout the history of Islamic Sufism. From the 2nd century A.H., when Sufis started to write their thoughts and teachings, this concept was used in meanings similar to the viewpoints of Muslim theologians ans jurists. Then, its meanings changed differently and separately in the writings of Junayd and Hallaj. For a while, this concept received a transcendental point in Sufism and Islamic mysticism and in the thought of Ayn al-Quzat Hamdani, where not only it does not essentially contradict with faith, but also plays a key role in achieving Right and Truth. In this essay, by studying and analyzing the opinions of the Sufis who have spoken or written about the Kufr, we will inquire the semantic evolution of the concept of kufr in Sufism until the 5th century A.H.