Özet:

Many debates occurred in Sunnī and Shia Islām regarding Sufism and its origin. In these debates, it was claimed that certain un-Islāmic views are present in the theoretical and practical aspects of Sufism. Sufis, on the other hand, tried to prove in their works that the foundations of Sufism are based on verses and hadith. Therefore, the main idea of early Sufism classics consisted of efforts to prove that Sufism is a discipline within the framework of Sunnī thought. Shia scholars also criticized Sufism and its origin. Tabsırât-al'Avâm fî Ma'rifat Maqâlât al-Anâm by Jamal al-Din al-Murtaza al-Rāzī is one of the first works in Shia Islām in which Sufism is criticized. After al-Razi, Shia scholars wrote many books rejecting sufism. In these works, it was generally emphasized that the majority of great sufis were Sunnī, that the Imams denounced the first sufis, and that the practices and ideas in sufism did not comply with sharia. Since Shia fiqh scholars have a greater impact on society compared to the Sunnī world, the criticism aimed at sufism resonated more among the Shia. In fact, after Shiism became the official sect of Iran with the Safavids, sects with a deep-rooted history in the region began to lose influence. However, the Ni'matullahiyah sect was able to sustain its existence to date despite all oppression. In previous studies, it was stated that, beginning with the Safavids, the traces of sects in Iran were removed. On the other hand, studies on sects who managed to survive among the Shi'ites, such as the Ni'matullahiyah, were neglected. The activities of the members of the Ni'matullahiyah in defense of their sect and Sufism is an important matter that requires investigation. Therefore, Burhan al-Salikin by Munis 'Ali Shah, the sheik of the Shia sect Ni'matullahiyah, was selected as the subject of the present study. During the time of Munis 'Ali Shah, who lived in the twentieth century, Iran was exposed to pressure from Western countries, and World War I broke out. Munis 'Ali Shah, who was educated in exoteric and esoteric disciplines by the leading scholars of the time as well as his father Vefa 'Ali Shah, did not stand indifferent to this problematic circumstance experienced by his country. He stood on the front lines in raising awareness regarding the situation his country went through by registering in political parties, publishing newspapers, and establishing a publishing house. In later periods, he ceased his political activities and functioned as a sect sheik. With his scholarly background and personality, he succeeded in transforming his lodge in the capital city of Tehran into a center frequently visited by commoners and upper-class individuals alike. While Munis 'Ali Shah was teaching his disciples, claims regarding the opposition to Sufism continued to be voiced by certain segments. He did not remain indifferent against this situation and wrote a work titled Burhan al-Salikin in defense of sufism. Since Munis 'Ali Shah lived in a recent period, he wrote his work by taking into consideration all criticism and defense regarding sufism in the Shia world. In this respect, examining the work of the author will allow for a comprehensive view of the arguments used in the criticism and defense of sufism among the Shi'a. The present study aims to examine these two subjects. In his work, the author underlined that Sufism is rooted in Islām and sought to eliminate antagonism between the Shia and Sufis. Munis 'Ali Shah attempted to demonstrate that the genesis of Sufism is rooted in Islām by using verses, hadiths, and historical texts. One of the most essential themes he focused on while researching this topic was the word Sufi. Munis maintained that the term Sufi existed prior to the time of the Prophet Muhammad. According to him, the phrases attributed to the Imams, which Sufism's opponents in the Shi'ite world have relied on the most as evidence, have not been thoroughly investigated. In Burhan al-Salikin, Munis 'Ali Shah attempted to interpret these words of the Imams at length.

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