The Emergence of Shi'i Sufism

Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi and His Commentary on the Qur'an

Alessandro Cancian

Qur'anic Studies Series

Covers an uncharted territory in the history of Qur'anic exegesis
Locates the work at the crossroads of Sufism, Shi'ism, and the intellectual history of early modern Iranian Islam
Translates the Introduction to the commentary and a full list of the work's subheadings
Touches upon a topic relevant to current issues in Iran and the Muslim world at large

The Emergence of Shi'i Sufism

Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi and His Commentary on the Qur'an

Alessandro Cancian

Description

The Bayan al-sa'ada fi maqamat al-'ibada (The Elucidation of Bliss concerning the Spiritual Stations of Worship) is a central work in the modern intellectual and religious history of Iran and Shi'i Islam. A Qur'anic commentary (tafsir) by Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi (d. 1909), it represents a mature synthesis between Twelver Shi'ism and Sufism.

In this first detailed study of Sultan 'Ali Shah's Bayan, Alessandro Cancian argues that this commentary represents the foundational act of modern Twelver Shi'i organised Sufism. Cancian first explores the intellectual contexts of Iranian Shi'ism and Sufism, before introducing the author and the text. The eponymous master of the largest branch of the Ni'matullahi Sufi order (the Gunabadiyya), Sultan 'Ali Shah was a religious scholar taught by some of the most authoritative Shi'i ulama of his time; a philosopher in the Akbarian/Sadrian tradition who studied with superstar Qajar philosopher Mulla Hadi Sabzawari (d. 1873); and a master of mysticism who drew from the classical tradition of Persian and Persianate Sufism. Cancian shows how these elements coalesced into the formation of a Shi'i Sufi tariqa, making a credible claim for Ni'matullahi Sufi legitimacy within the Twelver Shi'i establishment and influencing subsequent Qur'anic exegesis in Iran.

Cancian then provides a thematic and genealogical analysis of the text alongside a study of its impact and legacy. A translation of Sultan 'Ali Shah's own introduction, outlining his hermeneutical approach and theological and philosophical principles, is provided in an appendix. This book will appeal to scholars in a range of disciplines within Islamic studies, including Qur'anic exegesis, Shi'i studies, Sufi studies, mysticism, and the intellectual history of Iran.

The Emergence of Shi'i Sufism

Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi and His Commentary on the Qur'an

Alessandro Cancian

Qur'anic Studies Series

Note on Transliteration, Conventions and Abbreviations
Preface and Acknowledgments
Map
Section I
1. Introduction: The Emergence of Twelver Shi'i Sufism in Early Modern Iran
2. Shi'i Sufism
3. Qur'anic Exegesis between Shi'ism and Mysticism
Section II
4. Sufism in Early Modern Iran
5. From Ni'matullahiyya to Gunabadiyya
6. Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi (d. 1909): His Life and Legacy
Section III
7. The Tafsir Bayan al-sa'ada: An Introduction
8. A Shi'i Sufi tafsir
9. Themes, Methods and Positioning
10. A Neglected Legacy: The Bayan al-sa'ada and its Reception in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries
Appendix I
Annotated Translation of Sultan 'Ali Shah's Introduction to the Bayan al-sa'ada fi maqamat al-'ibada
Appendix II
The Structure of the Bayan al-sa'ada through its Subheadings
Illustrations
Bibliography
Index of Qur'anic Citations
General Index

The Emergence of Shi'i Sufism

Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi and His Commentary on the Qur'an

Alessandro Cancian

Qur'anic Studies Series

Author Information

Alessandro Cancian, Senior Research Associate, The Institute of Ismaili Studies

Alessandro Cancian is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, where he works on Shi'i Sufism, Qur'anic exegesis, and the intellectual and religious history of pre-modern Iran. A historian of religions and anthropologist, he has published books and articles on religious education in Shi'i Islam, Shi'i Sufism, and Qur'anic exegesis. He edited Approaches to the Qur'an in Contemporary Iran (Oxford, 2019).

The Emergence of Shi'i Sufism

Sultan 'Ali Shah Gunabadi and His Commentary on the Qur'an

Alessandro Cancian

Qur'anic Studies Series

Reviews and Awards

"An original and significant contribution that contextualises the tafsīr Bayān al-Sā'ada within the history of Iranian Twelver Shi'ism and throws light on the development of the Shi'i Sufism that emerged as a consequence of the efforts of key Iranian Shi'i figures, especially those associated with the Gunābādī order. In addition to providing a translation of the introduction and parts of the Bayān, it also takes account of pertinent historiographical issues surrounding it and other related elements, such as Shi'i history and Sufism among Shi'i intellectuals. This book will be valuable also to those outside the field of expertise, and of interest to the general reader. An intellectually impressive work." -- Milad Milani, Western Sydney University

"A refreshingly innovative and exciting study of a neglected field. Cancian makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of modern Qurʼanic exegesis, the study of Sufism in Shiʻi contexts, in addition to the modern intellectual history of Iran. Sulṭān ʻAlī Shāh's works are rare treats ranging over a number of the traditional Islamic humanities, and their significance and lasting legacy are drawn out, explained and demonstrated with great skill. Texts and contexts are treated with care, empathy and theoretical sophistication. Cancian's work ought to be essential reading for students and specialists alike interested in the intersection of religion, culture and politics in modern Iran." -- Sajjad H. Rizvi, University of Exeter