The Persian Sufi Tradition and Shams al-Din Lahiji

The Persian Sufi Tradition and Shams al-Din Lahiji: Sufi Metamorphosis offers a groundbreaking study of the intellectual and spiritual transformations that reshaped Persian Sufism during the late medieval period in Iran.

Focusing on the pivotal era of the Timurid and Aq Qoyunlu dynasties (1447–1501), this book provides the first comprehensive analysis of Mafati? al-i?jaz fi Shar? Gulshan-i Raz, the masterful Sufi commentary by Shams al-Din Mu?ammad Lahiji. Through detailed textual and historical study, the work uncovers overlooked patterns of Sufi thought, revealing how Lahiji’s synthesis of Ibn al-?Arabi’s metaphysics within Persian literary traditions marked a significant metamorphosis in the development of theoretical Sufism. The book also situates Lahiji’s life and teachings within their broader cultural and political context, showing how his contribution helped shape the trajectory of Persian Sufi literature and philosophy at a time of profound change.

This volume will appeal to scholars and students of Islamic mysticism, Persian literature, and medieval Islamic intellectual history, as well as readers interested in the evolution of Sufi thought and its philosophical underpinnings.