A Study of Historical Evolution of Welāyat Takwīnī from Hakīm Termazī to Ibn  Arabī in Sufi Prosaic Texts

The newfound term “Wilāyat Takwīnī (Ontological Guardianship) has its origin in opinions of early Sufis. This paper has written by descriptive analytical method، Based on mystic’s works that has shown that Hakim Termezi (295or 300 A. H.) was the first Sufi who brought up the issue of “Wilāyat Takwīnī” without any philosophical ideas. The Sufis since him، such as: Tousi (378 A. H.)، Kilābādhī (380 A. H.)، Abu Tālib Makkī (386 A. H.)، Sollami (412 A. H.)، Qosheiri (465 A. H.)، and Hojwīrī (481to500) also considered the issue of “Wilāyat Takwīnī” without following his idea. In their opinions، “Wilāyat Takwīnī” was meaning the unusual genetic possession (Tassarrof Takwīnī) of Divine saints (Awliā Elāhi). Najm al-din Kobrā’s idea (610 to 618) was approximately near to the Termezi idea and spoke about the Relation between Wilāyat and Divine Names (Asmā ilāhī). Ibn Arabi (638 A. H.)، in addition to acceptance of Termezī’s idea، also answered his questions and made more coherence for the issue of “Wilāyat Takwīnī” by assimilating some of the Peripatetic philosophy’s bases. Therefore، the theory of “Wilāyat Takwīnī” has been by a historical evolution from Termezi to Ibn ‘Arabī.