The role of Sufism methods in reviving the power of Shorafa in Islamic Maghreb in sixteenth century

"Sharif" word (plural: Ashraf or Shorafā) is a title which is used in Maghreb and often attributed to the descendants of Muhammed. The first presence of this family in Maghreb dates to the early Islamic centuries (about eighth century onwards), when some groups from the generation of Hassan Bin Ali and Hussein Bin Ali came to Maghreb and scattered in different regions there. Shorafā were always respectable among the people of Maghreb; to some extent the attribution to Prophet has been the bases of any religious and political legitimacy and therefore, had an important role in religious, social and political history of Maghreb. The Idrisi's government was the first serious political manifestation of the presence of Shorafā in Maghreb and the first powerful Alevi's rule there which further increased the migration of Shorafā to Maghreb more and more. These emigrations continued even with the decline of this government in the late tenth century and Shorafā settled in different areas among the Berbers and maintained their identity by mixing with Berbers. These situations continued until the situations were created for Shorfā to regain their power with the emergence of the necessary grounds in 13th century onwards.Findings show, with the collapse of Mowaḥḥedun government, the territory of Maghrib was divided between the three great governments of the great Berber tribes of Ṣanhājah and Zanātah: Bani Ḥafṣ in Efriqiyyah, Bani Abd al Wad in Middle Maghrib and Bani Marin in the Far Maghrib, and as a result, important events occurred in the history of Maghrib. In Far Maghrib, Bani Marin who were the most important family in coalition of Zanātah Berbers, took power. Those who came to power through military conquest, wanted to legitimize their government through different way, among other things, they tried to contribute to legitimacy of attributing to this family by proclaiming their support from Shorafā who had a high social and spiritual level among the people of Maghrib. On one hand, this approach in gaining legitimacy by Bani Marin was a good opportunity for many Ashraf to emerge once again in political and social structure of Maghrib, then in the appropriate situation officially take power in Maghrib. Affecting factors in reviving the power of Shorafā is an important issue that has not considered much attention. Focusing on the role of Sufism, this research with analytical method examines why and how Sufism emerged in political structure of Maghrib and the role of this trend as an effective factor in reviving the power of Shorafā in Maghreb. The results of studies indicate that since the end of Morābeṭun government and following the unfavorable political and social situation which had been emerged in the Maghrib, the tendency to Sufi trends increased and people increasingly refuged to pious people and this tendency continued during the Mowaḥḥedun government, especially during the weakness of the central government and creating internal disturbances, But from the middle of Bani Marin era onwards and during Bani Waṭṭās era, Sufi trends were seriously emerged in political and social structure of Far Maghrib (Maghrib al Aqsa). As a result of the weakness of central government and political disturbances and economic problems, as well as invasions in borders and Bani Waṭṭās' weakness in encountering with the occupations of foreign forces and providing internal security led to the people's lack of trust in Bani Waṭṭās government, and Zawiya Sheikhs, as a safety for people, took the leadership of popular and Jihadi movements. And this process had played an effective role along with pushing people towards Shorafā's leadership. In other words, with the increase of the political and social disturbances in Maghreb since the late Marini era, the most of Sufi currents by establishing many angles in different regions and supporting the people of Maghrib, left the structure of mere propaganda and seclusion and intervened in current situation. Therefore, in this period of Maghrib history, Sufis had an important role in political and social developments of Maghrib. In this era, when the tribal nervousness had lost its function to some extent, This group of Sufis and Zawiya Sheikhs, by gaining the support of tribes and preserving the structure of tribe as the most important and effective element in political and social development of Maghrib, as well as connecting the tribe with the elements of Ashraf (or honor) organized popular movement against the weak central government and the foreign aggressors and provided the basis for reviving the power of Shorafā by presenting the plan to hand over the reign to a person attributed to the family of Prophet.