ʿalāʾ Al-Dawla Al-Simnānī Between Spiritual Authority and Political Power: A Persian Lord and Intellectual in the Heart of the Ilkhanate

With a Critical Edition of Al-Wārid Al-Sārid Al-ṭārid Subhat Al-Mārid and Its Persian Version Zayn Al-Muʿtaqad Li-Zayn Al-Mu'taqid
Erscheinungsjahr 2017
ISBN: 978-90-04-35288-9
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 4, 496 Seiten, Format (B × H): 157 mm x 236 mm, Gewicht: 839 g

Reihe: Islamicate Intellectual History

In 'Ala' al-Dawla al-Simnani between Spiritual Authority and Political Power: A Persian Lord and Intellectual in the Heart of the Ilkhanate, Giovanni Maria Martini investigates the personality of a major figure in the socio-political and cultural landscape of Mongol Iran. In pursuing this objective, the author follows parallel paths: Chapter 1 provides the most updated reconstruction of Simnani’s (d. 736/1336) biography, which, thanks to its unique features, emerges as a cross-section of Iranian society and as a microhistory of the complex relationships between a Sufi master, Persian elites and Mongol rulers during the Ilkhanid period; Chapter 2 contains a study on the phenomenon of Arabic-Persian diglossia in Simnani’s written work, arguing for its socio-religious function; in Chapters 3 to 6 the critical editions of two important, interrelated treatises by Simnani are presented; finally, Chapter 7 offers the first full-length annotated translation of a long work by Simnani ever to appear in a Western language.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Martini, Giovanni Maria

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Islam & Islamische Studien Islam: Spiritualität & Mystik
• Geisteswissenschaften Islam & Islamische Studien Islam: Philosophie & Wissenschaften
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Naher & Mittlerer Osten
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Nicht-Westliche Philosophie Islamische & Arabische Philosophie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgments

A Note on Transliteration

Introduction

Simnani and the Kubrawiyya
The Criticism of Ibn 'Arabi
The Current State of Research
Organization and Objectives of this Book

1 Simnani’s Biography: A Window into Iranian Society under the Ilkhanids

Background
Youth
Metanoia
The Return to Simnan
The Meeting with Šaraf al-Din al-Hanawayh
The Departure to Baghdad and Imprisonment at the Court of Argun
Back to Simnan. The Trips to Iraq and the Higaz
Sufiabad Hudadad: Simnani’s Own Dar al-Higra in the Heart of the Ilkhanate
Mastery, Advanced Years and Death

2 The Relationship between al-Warid al-šarid al-tarid šubhat al-marid and the Zayn al-mu'taqad li-zayn al-mu'taqid


Introductory Remarks

Background

Section One: Descriptive Analysis of the Differences between al-Warid and the Zayn

Section Two: The Dynamics of Translation: Audiences, Authorship and Divine Inspiration in the Composition of al-Warid and the Zayn

Section Three: Observations on the Structure of Some of Simnani’s Most Relevant Works

Section Four: Observations on the Persian Translation of the 'Urwa li-ahl al-Halwa wa al-galwa

3 The Method Used in the Preparation of the Critical Edition of al-Warid al-šarid al-tarid šubhat al-marid

Foreword

Description of the Manuscripts

Analysis of the Evidence Useful for the Reconstruction of the Stemma Codicum and Related Hypotheses

Stemma Codicum

4 Established Text of al-Warid al-šarid al-tarid šubhat al-marid

5 The Method Used in the Preparation of the Critical Edition of the Zayn al-mu'taqad li-zayn al-mu'taqid

Foreword

A Note on Transcription

Description of the Manuscripts

Analysis of the Evidence Useful for the Reconstruction of the Stemma Codicum and Related Hypotheses

Stemma Codicum

6 Established Text of the Zayn al-mu'taqad li-zayn al-mu'taqid

7 The Inspiration Refuting the Rebel’s Sophistry (Translation of al-Warid al-šarid al-tarid šubhat al-marid)


A Note on the Translation

The Inspiration Refuting The Rebel’s Sophistry

Appendix:Supplement to the Catalogue of Simnani’s Written Works

Bibliography

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Giovanni Maria Martini, D.Phil. (2014), Università di Napoli L’Orientale, is post-doctoral fellow at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and previous research officer at the University of Oxford. His research interests include History of Medieval Sufism and Hermetic and Religious Literature in the Muslim World.