Shi ism in Khorasan during the Safavid Era

ShahIsmail after the conquest of Khorasan, announced Shia as the formal religion in that region, as in other parts of its territory and tried to make people of Khorassan to follow Shia. But the entrenched sunnism of the people of Khorasan and repeated attacks of the Uzbeks, established a lot of problems for him and his successors. Uzbeks had an influential role in disrupting the development of Shiism. Uzbeks by killing Shiites, especially Shiite preachers and scholars, had prevented Sunnis to become Shia. It was an important factor in the East of Khorasan, especially in the city of Herat that was caused the Sunnis to resist against the Shia by the support of Uzbeks on the one hand, and on the other hand the people who were likely to accept Shi’ism had understood that it was a dangerous act even by the support of the Safavid Government. So they refused to accept Shiism. But after removing the danger of Uzbeks by Shah Abbass I, the acceptance of Shi’ism had been easier. However,it is still in some parts of Khorasan Province,especially in areas adjacent toterritory of Uzbeks there are people who did not accept Shiism. In this article it has been tried to analyze the ways that they could develop Shi’ism in Khorasan province during the Safavid era and the obstacles they had faced, by using the historical and library method.