The structure, characteristics and functions of the "Tabaqat alsufia" genre(Emphasizing the Tabaqat alsufia of Solami and Khajeh Abdullah Ansari)

The collection of the precious heritage of mystical literature, despite the variety of themes and subjects, falls into the general category of interpretive texts, educational works, and biographies. Although these works have thematically followed their non-mystical examples, the style of Sufism in entering these categories has always been special. The present study seeks to identify a part of the collection of mystical memoirs entitled  Tabaqat Alsufia and to explain the genre position of these works. Investigating the historical course of ‘class writing’ and especially Tabaqat Alsufia and case evaluation of existing samples shows that the two works of Tabaqat Alsufia by Abu Abdul Rahman Solami Neyshabouri and Tabaqat Alsufia by Khajeh Abdullah Ansari can be considered as the most complete and best examples in the literary-mystical genre. Also, a brief comparison of  Tabaqat Alsufia with different genres of historiography and mystical memoirs and the study of the characteristics of superior examples show that although the aspect of recording events of  Tabaqat Alsufia is attributed to historiography, it is also attributed to the biography. Also, the biography feature links people to the autobiography, but the special structure of  Tabaqat Alsufia and the mission of classifying the mystical periods along with the various functions of this particular species, such as Sufi guidance and education, transmission of social and cultural values and beliefs of different periods, the expression of social and sectarian customs and traditions have been more important than the recording of events and biographies. Such features are so obvious and special that they introduce  Tabaqat Alsufia as an independent genre in the field of mystical literature.