Junayd Baghdadi and His Relationship with His Contemporary Imams from a Historical Perspective

Junayd Baghdadi is considered to be one of the distinguished personalities and one of the elders and leaders of Sufism. He has always enjoyed a high dignity and status in the eyes of Sufis, to the extent that he was called Tawus al-Olama (Peacock of the Scholars), Taj al-Arefin (Crown of the Mystics), and Sayyed al-Taefah (Master of the Nation). According to many scholars, although Junayd Baghdadi was contemporary with four recent Shia imams, he chose the Shafi'i denomination and was not inclined towards the Shia religion. On the other hand, some scholars, relying on controversial historical evidence, have considered it probable that he was a Shiite. Undoubtedly, the type of interaction with the imams (AS) and the degree of alignment with their ideas and thoughts and compliance with their behavior is a worthy criterion for evaluating the thoughts and practical and religious tendencies of the great Sufis. In this article, after a brief look at the life and position of Junayd Baghdadi and his works and beliefs, while examining the statements and speculations about his being a Shiite/Imami, we seek to answer the question of what kind of relationship and interaction did he have with the imams of his time? And was he among the followers and Shiites or among their disciples and lovers? Detailed investigations show that pure historical reports are devoid of any evidence of Junayd's connection and interaction with the imams.
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