The Persian Sufi Tradition and Shams al-Dīn Lāhījī

The Persian Sufi Tradition and Shams al-Dīn Lāhījī: 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 Mafātīḥ al-iʿjāz fī Sharḥ Gulshan-i Rāz, the masterful Sufi commentary by Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad Lāhījī. Through detailed textual and historical study, the work uncovers overlooked patterns of Sufi thought, revealing how Lāhījī’s synthesis of Ibn al-ʿArabī’s metaphysics within Persian literary traditions marked a significant metamorphosis in the development of theoretical Sufism. The book also situates Lāhījī’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.