The Morphology of Zahedieh Religious Way and its Disciples

Zahedieh religious way, as the representative of Sohrevardieh religious way, with definite and predetermined missions in North West of Iran and Guilan province, had been using a specific lifestyle, livelihood, actions, and activities. This religious way was based on principles and educational methods of Soho religion, and in high compatibility with Islam religion and with loyalty to unity of existence, has started its activity by having great achievements during this period of time. One of these achievements is training several disciples (morid) that Sheikh Safi-e-Aldine Ardabili was one of the greatest ones. This study aims to investigate the organization and human, conceptual, and educational structure of Zahedieh religious way, also to scrutinize the effects of followers, rulers, and leaders’ communities in its era. This research through analyzing historical data and utilizing social morphological factors reveals that Sheikh Zahed Guilani with his disciples and religious way not only had some great influences in its own epoch, but also this influence had been continued by his community of disciples, leading followers especially Sheikh Safi-e-Aldine Adabili – the founder of Safavieh religious way-. Zahedieh religious way, in spite of its rural morphology, was the pioneer of being regional even prior to Safavieh religious way that later by means of a great region could be developed all around the Islamic world.