Spiritual Practice in the Arabic Hagiography of the Chinese Ǧahrīya Sufi Order

Abstract

The hagiography of the Chinese branch of the Naqšbandīya order of Islamic mysticism called ğahrīya has been recorded, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, in some Arabic and Persian language texts. These include stories about the founder of the Sufi order, Ma Mingxin (d. 1781), and his successors in the first few generations and many of the literary units revolve around the contemplative discipline declared obligatory for the followers of the brotherhood. Ma Xuezhi gives a description, in his Kitāb al-ğahrī, of the works which include practices believed to have been transmitted to Mingxin during his sojourn on the Arab peninsula. Besides offering a positivist approach description of the practices on the basis of the hagiographical writings, some codicological reflections will also be included in the presentation.