Fundamentalist Islam vs Sufistic Islam Analyzing the Sociological Roots of Salafism in Kurdistan

Historically, mystical and Sufistic Islam have been the hegemonic and institutionalized religious attitude in Kurdistan. Despite some discrepancies among different branches of Sufism, in their rituals and hierarchical systems, there is a fundamental distinction between them and Sharia or Jurisprudence based branches of Islam. Among the various mystical schools, tariqas (ways) of "Qadiri" and "Naqshbandi" have gained the highest social status among Sunni Kurds and expanded their sphere of influence throughout Kurdistan.
Various factors such as the occurrence of Shiite Islamic revolution in Iran, the emergence of Shiite ideology, the rise of the various types of Sunni fundamentalist ideologies and flaring competition between them in the Islamic nations, made a substantial impact on religious attitudes all over Muslim communities as well as Kurdistan. In addition, financial aids, educational, and sometimes logistical supports of Arabic and Islamic countries to followers in Kurdistan, and also the existence of internal political, social and economic condition have provided an appropriate basis for growth and development of these Pan-Islamic movements in Kurdistan.
Relying on historical sources, media and field evidences, and international published statistics, this research investigates the emergence and growth of Salafi thoughts among the Sunni Kurds of Iran in a documentary method of research. It seems that changes are taking place faster than what supposed to be, and Kurdistan, like other Middle Eastern Sunni countries, is not immune from flaming waves of fundamentalism.