چکیده:
Abstract: During the medieval period of Iran, particularly from the seventh to ninth centuries AH, significant transformations occurred in social and economic institutions. Among these, the Safavid Sufi order emerged as a highly influential movement, deeply rooted in rural communities. The primary focus of this study is to explore how villages are portrayed as sanctified spaces in Ibn Bazzaz Ardabili’s Safvat al-Safa and the role of this portrayal in legitimizing the Safavid order. The key question is how the Safavid order, by emphasizing the rural and agricultural origins of its founders, constructed a divine-popular identity, and how the miracles attributed to Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili strengthened ties with rural communities. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and interpretive method, this study examines the role of villages in the Safavid order and their contribution to legitimizing its early leaders. Findings indicate that Safvat al-Safa sanctifies rural geography and depicts Sheikh Safi as a “rural mystic,” forging an inseparable link between mysticism and village life. The study concludes that Safvat al-Safa is not merely a historical record but an ideological project to establish the spiritual legitimacy of the Safavid leaders. By blending mythical and historical elements, it presents a model of interaction between Sufi leaders and rural communities, emphasizing the simplicity and sincerity of villagers and showcasing Sheikh Safi’s miracles in resolving their issues, thus crafting a pious and popular image of the Safavid leaders.
خلاصه ماشینی:
From Peasantry to Tariqa: Investigating the position of the village in the Safavid Tariqa from the perspective of Safwat al-Safa Fatemeh Lotfi Omran * Maqsoudali Sadeghi Gandomani **, Seyyed Hashem Aghajari ***, Shahram Yousefifar **** 1 Abstract The middle period of Iran, especially in the seventh to ninth centuries AH, witnessed extensive transformations in social and economic institutions, during which the Safavid Tariqa, as one of the influential Sufi currents, was formed by relying on deep connections with rural communities.
Research such as the study by Khosrobeygi and Farrokhi titled "Investigating the interaction of occupational groups with the Tariqa of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili based on the contents of Safwat al-Safa," shows that the Safavid Tariqa, especially after the period of transferring Sheikh Safi's khanqah to Ardabil, strengthened its social foundations by utilizing urban networks alongside its traditional rural base.
The present research, by focusing on the role of agriculture as a tool for legitimizing the Safavid Tariqa, attempts to fill this gap and show how the representation of rural life in Safwat al-Safa was not only a reflection of historical realities but also an ideological project to strengthen the social and economic base of the Safavid dynasty.
Despite the fact that Safwat al-Safa presents an image of Sheikh Safi al-Din being personally engaged in agriculture even after reaching the rank of guidance, historical documents and the text of the same books show that the Safavid tariqa gradually transformed into an economic institution with extensive properties during this period.
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