The Role of Sufism in the Development of Safavid Government

Some of thinkers emphasis on the role of tribal Asabiyyah and some of them emphasis on the role of religious Asabiyyah to explain the development of safavid government and all of them, neglect the process of affinity and synergy of these factors in this respect. Therefore, the article tries to reveal the process of affinity and synergy of these two factors in the development of Safavids on the base of Ibn Khaldun’s political theories and with descriptive- analytical study and using of archival research method and studying the related historical texts. Findings show that Shah Ismail, by applying Sufi Walayah, has provided the affinity of tribal Asabiyyah within each tribe, religious Asabiyyah within each tribe and religious Asabiyyah between all tribes and accordingly, was able to create unity and cohesion among several tribes which were under his commands and by using the double power, which has been the product of affinity and synergy of tribal Asabiyyah and religious Asabiyyah, has defeated other contenders and has succeeded in developing the safavid government. This means, two aspects of Asabiyyah, of course with the precedence of religious Asabiyyah over tribal Asabiyyah, have taken role in the process of the development of this government.