mohsen pourmokhtar

Abu al-Fawaris Shah Bin Shoja’ Kermani stands as a prominent figure within the Sufi tradition, whose conduct and sayings have consistently served as a model and guide for Sufi adherents throughout its history. The key attributes of Shah Bin Shoja’ Kermani's persona encompass wisdom, generosity, and Sufism. None of the books and treatises attributed to Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani in ancient sources have survived. The extant works comprise approximately eighty sayings, which are dispersed across various Sufi texts. Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani passed away in 288 AH. An examination of ancient Sufi literature reveals that classical authors esteemed Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani as a prominent elder within Sufism, recognizing his elevated spiritual standing and notable sayings and works. However, contemporary evaluations show a lack of evidence regarding his significant impact on the Sufi tradition. This research aims to address the question: Should Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani truly be regarded as one of the foremost and most influential sheiks of early Sufism?

Literature Review:

Although a few articles and books have discussed the circumstances and sayings of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani, no comprehensive study has been conducted on the current research topic: the influence of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani on Sufism.

- The outstanding personality of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani in the ancient Sufism texts:Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani is regarded as a prominent figure and pioneer in Iranian wisdom and mysticism. His life and sayings are referenced in the majority of significant Sufi texts, where authors have accorded him various titles.
- Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani’s relationship with the elders of Sufism in the third century:The famous Sufism scholars and elders in the third century can be considered the most prominent figures of Sufism, whose actions and sayings have played the most important role in the formation of this school.
Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani engaged in meetings, fostered friendships, and corresponded with the eminent sages and Sufi practitioners of his era. The most notable figures in Sufism with whom Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani was associated include the following individuals:Abū Turāb Nakhshabi, Abu Obeid Busri, Abu Hafs al Haddād Neishāburi, Yahya ibn Mu'adh al-Razi, Abu Jaafar Hamdan
- Abu Uthman al-Hiri, the extraordinary student of the Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani:Most of the remaining information about Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani’s life and sayings has been preserved and transmitted through Abu Uthman al-Hiri who had a book or notebook in which he wrote the sayings of the Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani.
- The attribution of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani's words to other Sufis:Among the eighty quotes left by Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani, twelve of them have been attributed to other mystics: Eight sayings in the name of Dhul-Nun Masri, one saying in the name of Bāyazīd Basṭāmī, two sayings in the name of Abu Uthman al-Hiri Neishāburi, and one saying in the name of Abū Saʿīd Abū'l-Khayr. In a separate article, the author discussed the main speaker of these twelve sayings and considered their attribution to Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani preferable.
- Anecdotes about Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani in Sufi literature:Several anecdotes from Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani’s life have been repeatedly quoted in Sufism sources and sometimes used as examples and models of their subject. The most important of these anecdotes is that of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani’s dream in which he saw God. The other is the story of the Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani’s repentance and his entry into the spiritual path.
- Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani in Persian literature:Attar speaks in the Museebat Nama about those who have made great efforts on the path of perfection and then mentions the names of 18 imams, mystics, and ascetics as examples, including Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani. Attar has composed a poem of the same story in the Museebat Nama by omitting Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani’s name. It seems that Saadi and Hafez also mentioned the words of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani in their poems, which are mentioned in the entry of the poems’ article. Abdul Rahman Jami has composed the story of Shah's dream into poetry.
- Equating and identification with Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani:In the past ages, the spiritual status of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani was very high in the eyes of the people, this has been especially evident in Kerman and its neighboring areas. In this regard, stories have been narrated, one of the remaining examples of which is related to Sheikh Murshid Kazerooni. This story states that according to the narrators, Sheikh Murshid Kazerooni is the counterpart of Shah Shuja’ Kermani.
Based on some evidence, it seems that Shah Shoja’ Mozaffari also saw similarities between himself and Shah Shuja’ Kermani due to the similarity of his name and nickname, as well as other similarities with Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani, which made him, and his friends consider him the second version of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani.
- Pilgrimage to the Shah's Tomb:From the existing narrations, it is clear that the tomb of Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani has been a place of interest for Sufism enthusiasts since ancient times. In ancient historical texts, there are indications that pilgrims came from the farthest places to visit his tomb.
 - Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani, the founder of Sufism in Kerman region:Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani and his peers are among the founders of Sufism in the Islamic world and Iran. with stronger reason, Shah B. Shoja’ Kermani should be considered the founder of Sufism in the vast region of Kerman.

In the collection of seventy verses that have remained from Shah b. Shoja Kermani, twelve verses are attributed to other Sufis. Eight quotations in the name of Dhu 'l-Nun al-Misri, one quotation in the name of Abu Yazid al-Bastami, two quotations in the name of Abu 'Uthman al-Hri, and one quotation in the name of Abu Sa'id-i Abu al-Hayr. In this article, the attribution of the main author is discussed and it is argued that it is preferable to attribute these words to Shah Kermani based on the following arguments: A. a special reputation is attributed to the narrators of Shah Kermani’s words. The first narrator is Abu Abd al-Rahman Sulami Nishabouri. He narrated the words of Shah through two prominent students of Abu Othman Heiri. Heiri himself was a student of the Shah and wrote his words in a special notebook. Sirjani, the second narrator, is recognized not only as one of the great Sheikhs of Sufism and the author of the significant book “Al-Bayad” but also as a compatriot of the Shah and one of his earnest admirers. B. Shah Shuja Kermani's writing style is distinguished by a particular feature, namely the inclusion of three specific sayings in his works, which are referred to as triple sayings. These words were probably authored by Shah Kermani himself. C. Per the rule of “attribution to the most famous ”, it is expected that the words of Shah Kermani would be attributed to Sufis who are more renowned than him.

The present study examines the motives and purpose of the authors of mystical texts in writing their works. In this regard, fifty mystical books from different types of mystical writings of Persian prose have been selected and the motives for their authorship have been analyzed. Some of the authors of these works have mentioned several purposes for writing their works. Thus, he motives for writing these texts were determined in order of frequency and were classified into eleven cases and the approximate percentage of each was determined as 1)Writing at the request of friends and disciples (19%), 2) Writing without mentioning a specific reason or motive (17%), 3) Writing with the motive of preserving the sayings of elders (11%), 4) Writing in reaction against claimants and corruption of the sect (9%), 5) Writing for the purpose of public education in the Persian language (8%), 6) Writing with the intention of presenting to the elders (8%), 7) Writing of the work with the intention of leaving a souvenir (7%), 8) Writing in order to answers to questions (5%), 9) Writing with the intention of expansion Previous Short Works (3%), 10) Writing by Occult Inspiration (3%), and 11), and Writing motivated to express grief (2%).

For his Tathkirat al-Awliā, Attār of Nishapur has again and again availed himself of Arabic sources. In his introduction, Shafi’i Kadakani, the redactor of the most recent edition of the Tathkira, has introduced eleven works as Attār’s main sources, one of which is the Al-Bayāz va Al-Savād by Khwaja Ali-e Hasan of Sirjān. In the present article, the manner and amount of Attār’s use of the Al-Bayāz va Al-Savād has been discussed with respect to certain extratextual as well as intratextual clues. In addition, in a comparative investigation into the words of the Sufi masters common in the Tathkirat al-Awliā and Al-Bayāz va Al-Savād and other principal sources of the Tathkira, the proportion and method of Attār’s utilization of the Al-Bayāz have been determined. The outcome of this comparison is the discovery of 550 words and stories shared by these two books of which 94 are solely found in the Al-Bayāz va Al-Savād. In the end, the results of our search have been set out in a table.

In the present article, 23 points on the text and suspensions of Farīd al-Dīn ‘Aṭṭar`s Tazkirat al-Awliyā (Biographies of the Saints) by Mohammad Reza Shafi'I Kadkani are codified. One of these points is about the origin of the historical error in one of the narratives of Sahlib Abdullah Tostari. In this case it becomes clear that the existing narrative cannot be true. Another point is about the actual burial place of King Shuja Kermani. And it turns out that the real burial place of Shah is S irjan. Other 14 cases are related to the sources of anecdotes and fabless and 5cases about the meanings of words used in the Tazkirat al-Awliyā that according to the dialect of the people of kirman. In addition, a number of original recordings in Tazkirat al-Awliyā that have been altered by Attar's scribbling or maladaptation of scribes have also been cited, as well as some aspects of Shafi'i Kadkani's preferred correction of coding over Nicholson's corrected text.

Sacrifice is a religious custom spreading among different folks and nations with various purposes. Many religious traditions recommend killing an animal in order to stay away from disaster or to avert it. Some scholars take into account that the killing a camel ordered by Esfandiyār in the story of Rostam and Esfandiyār, and also the killing of Siavash by Afrasiyab and Sorkheh due to command of Rostam are amongst the types of sacrifice. The present research which has been conducted in a fundamental way, based on library studies and descriptive-analytic method has tried to show that there is no ritual sacrifice in the story of Rostam and Esfandiyār (killing a camel by the order of Esfandiyār) and the story of Siavash (how to kill Siavash and Sorkhe). To clarify this issue, the story of Rostam and Esfandiyār and Siavash in Shahnameh has been analyzed after analyzing and defining the sacrifice custom. Finally, there is no sign of sacrifice in these two stories, and killing a camel in the story of Rostam and Esfandiyār is a kind of apotropaic magic.

In the original texts of Islamic mysticism, the fables are repeatedly seen in which the Jews and Christians who were in relation with the Muslims and especially Muslim Sufis in any reason, became Muslim. In the present study, the reasons and causes of Jews and Christians to become Muslim will be examined, classified and analyzed. Based on this research, most of the changes are in following cases:1. Greatness of Muslim Sufi 2. Moral superiority of Muslim Sufi 3. References and annunciation of the Bible 4. Acumen of Muslim Sufi 5. God kindness to the Jewish and Christian 6. Bless of good service to people and trust in God 7. Superiority of Muslim Sufi debate and conflict

The present study is an attempt to classify and analyze scattered information regarding Abu Ali Sirjani. Abu Ali Hasan Ibn Mohammad Ibn Ahmad Sirjani was a 5th century ascetic, Sufi, and Muhadith (one who relates Hadith). Sirjani was born in the year 408 A.H and passed away in 495 A.H. He lived in Baghdad and traveled through many Islamic lands such as Kerman, Fars, Iraq, Shamat (Syria), Egypt, and Hijaz. Sirjani suffered much in his pursuit for Hadith and recording them, and he experienced many masters and students. However, he was not reliable in relating Hadith and was accused of forgery. However, he was one of the Sufi elders (sheikhs), and a follower of asceticism and abstemiousness (virtuousness), whose wife, Set-ol-Balad, and daughter So’da were among Hadith relators.

A part of the Al -bayaz va Al -savad the compilation of khwaja Abul Hasan Ali ibn Hasan of Sirjan is available in Safina-ye Tabriz. It is the scantling of a condensation of Al-bayaz va Al-savad and mostly includes its short utterances (sayings, words). The remaining study showed that Abul majd Mohammad ibn Masoud of Tabriz, Safina’s scribe, has been committed (made) some errata and errors. The writing mistakes of his manuscript can be classified in some categories: structural differences and unequalled in titles, error of Quran’s verses, Hadith’s error, announces’ error, omitting in the text, increasing to the text, drawing on the text, lack of attention in the meaning of the word.