What Do We Know about the Excavations at Merimda?

Abstract

follow suit, first placing the candy on their eyes and their foreheads as a sign of obeisance. The khalifat al-khulafa had one other function. He was able to give absolution. Nobles and others who sought absolution would kneel before the khalifat al-khulaf&, who would strike them several times on the back and shoulders with a stick, as a sign that their sins were forgiven. This ceremony was called confession (ictiraf) 24 Although he had so debased their status, Shah tAbbds still found S-fifs useful for carrying out the duties of jailers, as mentioned above, and of executioners. An official who had incurred the Shah's displeasure would be summoned into the royal presence, and dispatched on the spot by the S-dfis in attendance. In 996/1588, shortly after his accession, Shah tAbbAs found the khalhfat al-khulafd useful in carrying out a purge of those responsible for the murder of his brother, IjJamza Mirza.25 In 1022-23/1614, when Shah 'Abbis, as described above, executed those Sfifis of the Qardjadaghlii tribe who had been guilty of defection to the Ottomans, it was Muhammad Quli Khulafa-yi RIlmlfi, the kchalifat al-khulafa, who was ordered to carry out the executions. These Sufis were found guilty of having turned away from their murshid-i Iimil. It was emphasized that the basic principles of the pir-murid relationship were: not to leave the side of one's murshid in adversity or prosperity; to endure patiently all kinds of misfortune; and to put acquiescence to the will of the murshid before all worldly interests. 26 After Shah tAbbds the Great, the status of $-ffis continued to decline, and in 1700, almost exactly two hundred years after Sflf! fervor had brought the $afawids to power, it was possible for a mujtahid to denounce Sflfism as this foul and hellish growth. 27