The Practice of Sufism and the Safavid Order, written by Dr Seyed Salman Safavi and published by LAIS Press in 2018. The book is comprised of two chapters, Practice Sufism and The Safavid order.
The first chapter discusses The Practice of Sufism (Mysticism) in Islam: This chapter introduces the theoretical aspects of the practice of mysticism in Islam. It examines the nature of mysticism, the mystic and his states, the goal of the mystic and the ethics of spiritual wayfaring. The author addresses major themes that are central concerns of mystical authors and describes their meaning. He describes and analyses mystical states drawing on the major practical and homiletic manuals of the ‘Irfan tradition. This chapter is both descriptive and prescriptive.
The second chapter discusses the Safavid order: The Sheikh Sayyed Safi al-Din Ardabili (1252–1334), through inspiration from the divine teachings of the doctrine of thaqalain which is the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the 14 infallibles, founded the Safavid tariqah (Safavid Sufi order) which has had an important constructive and continuous role in the history of Islamic civilisation and Iran. Sheikh Safi al-Din is the spiritual father of the Safavid dynasty.
Seyed Salman Safavi is a descendent of the prophet of Islam and Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili, the great Iranian mystic and the spiritual father of the Safavid dynasty. He is the discoverer of the Structure of Rumi’s Mathnawi, which hitherto has been the most important discovery and study on Rumi’s Mathnawi.
He studied Islamic Sciences in the Seminary of Qom-Iran and holds BA and MA in philosophy from Tehran and PhD from SOAS-University of London. His PhD thesis was on ‘the Structure of Book One of Rumi’s Mathnawi.
He is a distinguished philosopher and scholar of Islamic sciences and Iranian Studies.
Due to popular demand and the importance of the work, we at the London Academy of Iranian Studies have decided to offer the book for free to researchers and spiritual wayfarers.
To download the pdf version of the book please click here.
