AN ANALYSIS OF AL-HAKIM AL-TIRMIDHI’S MYSTICAL IDEOLOGY BASED ON BOOKS: BADʼU SHAANI AND SIRAT AL-AWLIYA

Abstract

Abstract. Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Hasan bin Bashir Bin Harun Al Hakim Al-Tirmidhi, also called Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi, is a Persian mystic living in the 3 rd century AH. He is important in the history of Persian literature and the Persian-Islamic mysticism due to several reasons. First, he is one of the first Persian mystics who has significant works in the field of mysticism. Second, early instances of Persian prose can be identified in his world and taking the time that he was living into consideration, the origins of post-Islam Persian prose can be seen in his writings. Third, his ideas have had significant impacts on Mysticism, Sufism, and consequently, in the Persian mystical literature; thus, understanding and analyzing his viewpoints and works is of significant importance for attaining a better picture of Persian mystical literature. The current study attempts to analyze Al-Tirmidhi’s mystical ideology based on his two books: Bad’u Shanni Abu Abdullah (The Beginning of Abu Abdullah’s Journey) and Sirat Al-Awliya (Road of the Saints). Al-Tirmidhi’s ideology is going to be explained through investigating and analyzing his viewpoints regarding the manner of starting a spiritual journey, the status of asceticism and austerity in a spiritual journey, transition from the ascetic school of Baghdad to the Romantic school of Khorasan. Clearing the status of Sufism and Mysticism in Khorasan in the 3 rd century AH and pointing to the differences between the schools of Baghdad and Khorasan in the early centuries of Hegira as well as their mutual interactions and influences are among the findings of the current study. Keywords: Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi, Mysticism and Sufism, Bad’u Shaani Abu Abdullah, Sirat Al-Awliya, Mystical Ideology, Mystical Literature.