Sufi Poets Research Articles

Поэма Абу Бакра Каландара Руми «Каландар-наме» как источник сведений по суфийской ритуальной музыке

This paper is devoted to analyze the text of Abu Bakr Qalandar Rumi’s poem “Qalandar-name” from the point of view of describing the Sufi ritual of listening to sama`. As it is known, Sufi zikr can be two types – “loud”, with singing, dancing movements and playing musical instruments, and “quiet” without any musical part. Research materials: The statement of the author of the poem is of scholarly interest because the author welcomes both two types of zikr, as his Ushshaki group used singing, dancing and musical instruments. All these activities were used for the sole purpose of unity with the divine. The text of the poem is a source on Sufi rituals and their musical peculiarities in different tariqats. The poet also provides theoretical justifications for the permissibility of music in Sufi rituals, based on famous Sufi sheikhs of the earlier centuries. Also the author of the poem displays a deep knowledge of the general Sufi Islamic culture of his time, often referring to poetic images of famous Sufi poets of different countries. The musical instruments presented in the poem give a deep insight into the fact that each group of dervishes may have had their own set of instruments and their own dances. A common genre for all Sufi groups in the world is the genre of munajat, which appears four times in the poem as a separate prayer chapter. Results and novelty of the study: In this paper much attention is paid to the analysis of Sufi musical genres and instruments which were typical of that era. Also a number of the most favorite musical instruments are identified, which were widely used during the Sufi ritual of listening to sama`. The differences between the terms sama` (Sufi listening ritual) and the dance genre of Crimean Tatars “sema” and Tajik “samo” are explained separately. The musical instruments, such as arganun and organ, as well as musikar / musigar, which have different descriptions in historical and modern scientific literature, are also studied separately. The description of the organ in the context of the poem together with the image of the immortal bird Kuknus / Phoenix gives the readers the poem the image about two variants of the wind instrument – the Pan flute type and the keyboard type with mechas. Since we have not found a precise description of the organ and the arganun / musikar in the poem itself, this question remains open for future research. The poem “Kalandar-nameh” will no doubt be useful as a source on Sufi culture of different tariqats of the Middle Ages.

MUNAJAT AS A LITERARY GENRE AND MESHUR JUSIP KOPEYULI’S MUNAJAT WORKS

There are many Kazakh Sufis in the Kazakh lands, starting from Khoja Ahmet Yassawi Hazret, who prayed and begged Allahutaala (swt). One of them and the most important of them is the famous Kazakh Sufi poet Meshur Jusip Kopeyulı. The Sufi defended Islamic civilisation and spiritual values, and considered reason and science as a means for man to know Allah (swt). It is known that the poet who believes that Allah (swt) is the only One and the Prophet (pbuh) is His messenger has an open heart. By combining scientific and religious knowledge in his works, the poet contributed to the correct understanding and spread of Islam in the Kazakh lands. The Meshur Jusip acted with his pure heart and rational feelings, and reflected the Shari’ah foundations in his works. Mutasavvif brought the literary genres of Sufi literature to modern Kazakh literature, reflected the essence of Islam in verse and prose works. Therefore, the poems of the Meshur Jusip are dominated by religion. The poet has also made the magnificent artistry of Almighty Allah (swt), the creator of the universe and man, the subject of his works. In his works, he has put forth his works in literary genres such as Munajat by asking for forgiveness from Allahutaala (swt). For the purpose of taking refuge in Allah (swt), poet wrote verse or prose works in this genre. Keywords: Meshur Jusip Kopeyulı, Sufism, literary genre, munajat, Classical Turkish literature.

Articulation of Sufi Path and Doctrines in the Poetry of Khwāja Muḥammad Zamān Naqshbandī of Luārī

Abstract Khwāja Muḥammad Zamān Luārvī (i.e., of Luārī or Lowārī) was a much-revered eighteenth-century Sufi shaykh (master) who spent his entire life in Luārī and Thatta in lower Sindh. Spiritually affiliated with the Naqshbandī Silsilah, he was also an eloquent Sufi poet. Though small in volume, his poetic compositions are highly symbolic and replete with complex Sufi philosophical and cosmological themes. This article identifies and analyzes the Sufi doctrines in his poetry by undertaking a poetic exegesis of his verses within a Sufi framework. It briefly introduces the life and poetry of the Khwāja, analyzes the articulation of Sufi doctrines in his poetic verses, and assesses his poetry’s characteristics.

Restful Souls: The Representative Men (Yunus Emre and Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Abstract Yunus Emre, the prominent Turkish poet who left his mark on the 13th century, stands out as the most significant folk poet producing poetry in vernacular Turkish. On the other hand, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American essayist, is recognized as one of the most influential thinkers of the 19th century. Despite living in different centuries, the commonality between these two representative figures is love, more precisely Divine love. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the intellectual realms of Turkish Sufi poet Emre and American thinker Emerson through their profound exploration of love. Focusing on Emre's impact in Turkish Islamic culture and Emerson's role in American Transcendentalism, both are examined as representative men of their eras. The article introduces the similarities of Divine love in the teachings and worldviews of these influential thinkers, and illustrates their contributions to humanity's cultural and intellectual development. Emre and Emerson’s intellectual legacy forms the primary focus of the article and offers a perspective on how their understanding of love significantly shaped humanity's collective consciousness.

The Allegorical Readings of the Shāh-nāma in Comparison with the Allegoreses of Homer’s Epics

Abstract There is a consensus that the Greek epic does not present itself as “veiled expressions (ainos),” but in the Greek literary tradition, several episodes of Homer’s works have received allegorical readings by literary critics and philosophers. These readings are categorized according to the motivations of their authors into two groups: defensive or apologetic and appropriative or exegetical. Against this background, this paper examines the Shāh-nāma and its broader literary tradition, arguing that, first, the Shāh-nāma, too, does not present itself as a multi-layered text in need of interpretation. Second, we can identify the same two categories within the admittedly fewer allegorical readings offered for the Shāh-nāma; Ferdowsi’s prologues to some tragic stories of the Shāh-nāma resemble Homeric defensive allegoreses, whereas the allegorical readings by some Sufi poets and thinkers represent the appropriative group. Similarities and differences between the Greek and the Iranian traditions in each group will be also discussed.

Literary and Sufi Analysis of Ibn al-Fāriḍ’s Poem “al-Tā’iyyat al-kubrā”: A Philosophical Educational Approach

The present paper offers a new approach to the poetry of the Egyptian Sufi poet ‛Umar Ibn al-Fāriḍ (576-632AH/ 1181-1235AD). This approach is based on the text of Ibn al- Fāriḍ’s Great Sufi Poem, al-Tā’iyyat al-kubrā, in which the poet expresses in full his spiritual experience. First, the basic hermeneutical question is discussed, e.g., what is the way of approaching a literary text in order to understand the experience of the poet? Also, it deals with a Sufi text, its context and the relationship between text and experience. To what extent does the author express his inner world verbally? In the end, there is a distance between the interior experience of a Sufi and his verbal expression. Eventually, this method is applied to the poetry of Ibn al-Fāriḍ. He describes his Sufi experience as a journey through three steps: from separation (farq) to unity (ittiḥād) to universal union (ǧam‛). On such a partition, ten basic units are highlighted, forming the structure of his Sufi poem.

Божественная любовь в мистической поэзии Шамс ад-Дӣна Зāкӣ на персидском языке

The paper deals with the ideas of divine love contained in two previously unpublished and unexplored poems by the Bashkir poet and scholar Šams al-Dīn Zākī (1822–1865) in Persian. By comparing his text with the works that were part of his reading outlook, as well as the key texts of the Naqshbandiyya-Mujaddidiyya order, a connection is established between the ideas of the Sufi poet and the idea of “essential love” formulated by the Indian mystic of the 17th century Aḥmad Sirhindī. This love is not an ecstatic state, but a path of constant self-improvement with the goal of displacing from the mystic’s soul any aspirations and desires other than complete acceptance of the divine will. In Zākī’s poem, love takes on an ethical dimension. The result of its manifestation is the truthfulness of the mystic — the correspondence of external and internal in his behavior and motivation. The verbal expression of these ideas is based on a vast corpus of classical works of Persian literature from the 11th to 13th centuries, with Farīd al-Dīn ‘Aṭṭār and Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī being the two most frequently cited authors.

Sufi Poet’s Death Concept: “Death” in the History Verses of the Divan of Nurî Osman from Chania

Osmanlı Şiiri içtimaî hayatın genelini ihtiva eder. Doğumdan ölüme, düğünden bayrama, sünnetten fetihlere kadar içtimaî hayatın bütün mevzuları Osmanlı şirinde ele alınmış; estetik bir üslupla ifade edilmiştir. Osmanlı şirinde gündelik yaşamla ilgili bazı hadiseleri ele almak gelenek hâline gelmiş hatta bu hadiseler etrafında müstakil edebî türler teşekkül etmiştir. Bunlardan birisi de yaratılış felsefesini, özlemi, yası, dünya ve ahiret telakkilerini, korkuları ya da övgüleri ihata eden ölümdür. Hayatın kaçınılmaz sonu olarak ölüm; Osmanlı şiirinde gerek müstakil gerekse diğer edebî türler içinde defalarca ele alınmıştır. 
 Ölüm konusunu ele alan en yaygın türler; tarih manzumeleri ve mersiyelerdir. Divanındaki tarih manzumelerinde ölüm hadisesine geniş ölçüde yer veren şairlerden birisi de Hanyalı Nûrî Osmân’dır. Şairin tarih manzumelerindeki en önemli hususiyetler; ölümle ilgili zengin bir söz varlığını ihtiva etmesi, sayısının fazla olması, biyografik bilgileri içermesi, mersiye ve tezkirelerin muhteva özelliklerini yansıtması aynı zamanda yaratılış ile ilgili telakkileri beyan etmesidir. Ölüme düşürülen bu tarihlerdeki zengin kültürel doku ve söz varlığı, şairin sûfî ve tezkireci olmasından kaynaklanmaktadır.
 Çalışmamızda öncelikle Hanyalı Nûrî Osmân Dîvânı’ndaki ölüm hadisesine düşürülen tarihlerde ölüm söz varlığı tespit edilmiştir. Daha sonra ölüm söz varlığı ışığında muhteva; ölüm telakkisi, dünya ve ahirete bakış, sûfînin yası, övgü, dua ve temenniler başlıkları altında incelenmiştir. Bu başlıklar vasıtasıyla Hanyalı Nûrî Osmân Dîvânı’ndaki ölüm hadisesine düşürülen tarihlerde ortaya konulan ölüm algısı; ölüm bağlamında ele alınan dünya, ahiret, cennet, rahmet, şefaat mevzuları ve yaratılış felsefesi tespit edilmiştir.

Anaalysis of the text of Sabris poem(Mercy that one breth), of Sabri according to the path of unity.

This paper is an analysis of the text of the poem (Mercy which one breath) of (Sabri), which consists of two parts in the first part we highlighted a brief about ( Sabri) and the political and social conditions of the poets time, especially in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Sabri) is as a sufi poet, he has always sought divine love, he is considered the classical poet of Kirkuk. he followed the path of Nali and saleem for Kurdish,he chose the title (Sabri) in has poems, he was a poet who always tried to kill himself in order to attain divine love, in the second part, we will practice some of our analytical methods for the text of the poem of (Mercy that is one breath) of (Sabri) has presentend .
 We have found that the poet in this poetic text he had a special mindset and a real experiment in addition, the poet used a mixture of Kurdish, Arabic and Parian.
 He wrote his poems in the Sorani dialect ,his poetic images have been duties creative, they have a special rhythm and melody, in terms of weight and over head.he used more weights for adversity for example, a(15)point weight, we have tried to look at this poetic text critically the poet is at the end of his life in this poetic text he mixes the pain of Kurdistan’s situation at the hands of the in readers with a love that is addicted to the in fidelity or betrayal of the in readers, then he returns to a divine love. Finally, we have reached some conclusion of the study.

Unveiling Symbolism: The Allegorical Tapestry of Female Attire in Poetry and Art of Pakistan

This research paper sheds light on the representation of traditional women from Punjab and their allegorical representation through Sufi poets and paintings. Women are and continue to be an integral part of art and artistic expression throughout human history from pre-history to modern times. The representation of women as an expression of art is an essential aspect in the history of art. This paper highlights the cultural and traditional depiction of women in the art of Chughtai, Ustad Allah Bux, Amrita Sher Gill and Anna Molka Ahmed through attire and its metaphorical representation. The selected paintings focus on the traditional depiction of Women in Punjab, and provides themes, styles associated in representing the women in paintings of Punjab. Such paintings are very expressive and ideally formalized with great delicacy and devotion, gives importance to womanhood through allegory.The role of females and their interpretation through Sufi poetry explains in visual of painters work choosen as subject matter for explaining. This paper reflects female attire in visuals and poetry. This study is reflecting content analysis of female representation through attire in poetry and painting with context of region Punjab Pakistan.

مولانا بہاؤالدین بہائی اور ان کے افکار

People with great imagination can born anywhere in the world. Mawlānā Bahā-ud- Bahā’ī Pitāfī is one such example. He was born in 1238 AH in Ghotki, district of Sindh. He got his education from Syed Ali Akbar Shah in a madarsa. He got married and had 6 children. He learned Arabic and Persian there and began teaching in the same institution. After that, he kept on teaching in far off places, but, ultimately, he settled in a village called Dad Laghari. He was one of the greatest sufi poets of his time. People often confuse him with Persian "Bahai baha ul din". But he is totally a different poet. It is his distinction that he is the first urdu poet of Ghotki. His poetry is full of peculiarities. He adores human beings in various ways and considers them the path to God.

II. Murâd ve Mevlânâ Tutkusu: İdrîs-i Bitlisî’nin Heşt Bihişt İsimli Eserinin VI. Kitabından Bir Bölüm

Born in Balkh, sufi poet Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī presents one of the most extensive and vigorous Islamic theories of toleration. This brief note examines the impact of Rūmī’s theory on Murād II by placing it in its fifteenth century Ottoman historical context. It also provides a critical edition of a portion of Idrīs Bidlīsī’s unpublished Hasht Bihisht VI, a sixteenth century Ottoman chronicle which is dedicated to the reign of Murād II.

The Influence Of Jalal Al-Din Rumi’s Thoughts In Rumi Diplomacy

This study discusses the thoughts of renowned Sufi poet Jalal Al-din Rumi behind Rumi Diplomacy, rolled out by Fadjroel Rachman, Indonesian Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Rumi Diplomacy takes place in a way that the ambassador uses Rumi’s works to enhance bilateral ties with Tajikistan. Rumi Diplomacy implies that the ambassador considers Rumi’s thoughts soft power in his foreign policy. This study uses a qualitative method, with the theory of foreign-policy analysis by Harold and Margaret Sprout in place. This theory enables the author to find that Rumi’s thoughts on religious moderation, universal love, and universal faith influenced Rachman’s psychological environment to perceive such thoughts as soft power to reach Indonesia’s national interests in Tajikistan. It means that he considers the development of Rumi’s influence in Indonesia as the operational environment in making his foreign policy. To identify and understand his psychological and operational environments, the author interviewed the ambassador, read Rumi’s works, and reviewed the literature. This study, which is the first to research Rumi Diplomacy, contributes to shedding light thatin international politics, literature work should not be overlooked because it can also affect the decision-making process and help a country reach national interests without coercion.

Sufi facts in the Diwan of Qadirī Dervish Gulāmī

Sufi facts in the Diwan of Qādirī Dervish Gulāmī, The path ‘Abd al-Qādir Gulāmī reflection in her poems in the Diwan of the Gulāmī, to which he is a follower, has been studied. The spiritual resources that the poets who own the diwan were fed are among the basic facts of the work. In order to grasp the depth of meaning in the poet's poems, it is necessary to consider the spiritual path he followed and the states he lived. Our study is important in terms of better understanding the meaning of his poems by examining the effect of the Qādirī, which is the main source of the spiritual elements that our Sufi Poet Gulāmī feeds on, on his Diwan The product of poets who have diwan in literature; It is the social, political and social mirror of the period. The way to understand his poems is to know the soul and spirit world of the poet. That's why, research has been carried out in order to clarify the place of the poet's poems in the world of meaning. One of the literary values ​​of Sivas,‘Abd al-Qādir Gulāmī , who completed his diwan at a young age, is known by the researches, which is one of the main sources he fed while creating his work. In our study, it is aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the poet's identity and the reflection of the sect on his poems by examining the mystical facts in his Diwan in detail. A literature review was conducted using the qualitative research method. The poet's life was compared with the relevant sources, and the detailed investigation of the Diwan transcribed by Meģmed Arslan and the scanning of mystical terms were made. Turkish-Islamic Literature is the carrier of literary facts that serve as a bridge between the past and the present. In our study, the diwan of Sivaslı ‘Abd al-Qādir Gulāmī, one of our 19th century poets, has survived to the present day; It has been studied in detail in terms of religion and mysticism, the literary and mystical personality of the poet has been investigated, and the mystical facts in the work have been studied. In terms of shedding light on the depth and richness of meaning in our Sufi poet's poems, the Qādirīyya sect, which he is a follower of, has been mentioned. He contributed to the understanding of the mystical facts in his poems and to the deep influence of the meaning. As a result of the researches and studies, it has been understood that the source of the depth in his poems is the richness of his spiritual world, as a representative of a tradition, as seen in the general of Sufi diwan poets. In this context, it is aimed to ensure that his poems and Gulāmī are seen better today and that they are likely to be spread later. *This article is extracted from my master thesis dissertation entitled Doç. Dr. Ramazan Süer, supervised by Zehra Ceviz (Master’s Thesis, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Institute of Social Sciences, 2023).

Education in a Playful Universe

The 13th century Sufi poet Muhammad Rumi [جلال‌الدین محمد رومی] vividly incorporates the image of dance and movement in his lyrics, while the Mehlevi Order of Sufi Islam (popularly known as ‘Whirling Dervishes’) was founded on Rumi’s teachings. Such expressions of emotive joy were among the favourites of my students, when I served as Director of Inter-Religious Studies at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. The testimony of a college student in our Honours course, ‘Awakening to Cosmic Compassion,’ gives an idea of the impact that movement and embodied meditation makes on learning.

Women’s Ornaments in the Poetry of Khawaja Farid and their Analytical Review

Throughout intellectual history, mystics, philosophers, poets, and aestheticians have engaged in discussions about the concept of beauty. The character of beauty is also considered a divine attribute reflecting God’s love for beauty. Consequently, everything created by Allah is beautiful. Human beauty is unparalleled in terms of the appropriateness and attractiveness of his stature, shape and appearance. Allah’s blessing is that the almighty created man’s best creations and created his structure in good manners. Khawaja Farid, a Sufi poet, also shed light on the concept through his poetry, particularly in glorifying female obsession with ornaments. Khawaja Farid belongs to the pantheistic (Wahdat Al-Wajood) spiritual school of thought. Those affiliated with this spiritual school of thought loved every creature of this universe. As a result, they love the creator and have more spiritual intimacy with God. In this article, I aim to answer several questions regarding this theme, including the types of ornaments used, their purpose, the feelings they keep, and their symbolic meaning. Khawaja Farid’s poetry indicates that all ornaments, colours, and forms are used to enhance the beauty of the female form for the beloved. These ornaments are worn on various body parts, such as fingers, wrists, elbows, nose, ears, neck, head, and feet, to gain the romantic approval of the beloved. Female characters in his poetry not only adorn themselves but also try to acquire famous and expensive clothes and ornaments from different places and cultures to increase their attractiveness. These ornaments’ purpose is aesthetic and symbolic, representing the lover’s desire to draw the beloved’s attention and keep their love alive. The feeling of wearing these ornaments arises from the belief that they will enhance the wearer’s beauty and make them more attractive. However, the critical study also finds these ornaments uncomfortable and impractical. Although these beautiful ornaments make life complicated and unbearable, they still practise those traditions to impress the beloved. In overview, the article excavates into the aesthetics of Khawaja Farid’s poetry and the role of ornaments in enhancing the female form’s beauty. The embellishments are worn to gain the beloved’s romantic appreciation and represent the lover’s desire to keep their love active. Although these ornaments are uncomfortable, they are essential for aesthetic and symbolic value. The article provides insight into the romantic aspects of ornamentation in poetry and the hidden sense behind these adornments.

الشاعر الصوفي عمر بن الفارض حياته وشعره

This study delves into the life and legacy of Ibn-ul-Faridh, a distinguished Egyptian poet known for his refined sensibility, tender heart, and profound thoughts. Though recognized primarily as a Sufi poet, Ibn-ul-Faridh's journey was a remarkable testament to his dedication and perseverance in this realm. Despite his pursuits in Sufism, his heart overflowed with deep feelings of love, and his spiritual life became a canvas of magnificent emotions and enchanting sentiments, earning him the illustrious title of Sultan-ul-Aasheqeen, the king of lovers. The article presents a detailed historical account of Ibn-ul-Faridh's life, including various perspectives on his date of birth, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs he encountered in his personal and poetic endeavors. The study further examines four pivotal stages of his life, unraveling the transformative events and experiences that shaped his poetic artistry and spiritual growth. Additionally, the research encompasses insights into his family background, offering context to understand the influences that molded him as a poet and a Sufi. In addition to documenting the poet's life, the research delves into Ibn-ul-Faridh's moral values, elucidating the principles and teachings he upheld throughout his journey. His spiritual path and the profound impact he had on the Sufi tradition are explored, highlighting the essence of his poetic expressions that continue to resonate with readers across generations. Drawing upon historical records, literary sources, and critical analyses, this comprehensive investigation provides a profound understanding of Ibn-ul-Faridh's life and works, offering readers a captivating glimpse into the world of a remarkable poet and Sufi, whose legacy endures as an embodiment of love, spirituality, and poetic brilliance.

Sufi Poet and Author Syed Liaqath Peeran — a Man of Achievement

Sufi Poet and Author Syed Liaqath Peeran — a Man of Achievement

LOVE OF HUMAN BEING IN THE DIVAN OF AZIZ MAHMUD HUDAI

Aziz Mahmud Hudai is one of Sufi poets who grew in the Anadolu land in Turkey in the 16th century. He was born in 1541 in ġereflikoçhisar town to the south of Ankara. Aziz Mahmud Hudai founded of the branch of the method of going from outside to the hermitage. He died in Istanbul in 1628 about 87 years old. He wrote about 30 books in Arabic and Turkish to educate Muslims and guiding them according to Sunni’s doctrine. In addition to be a Sufi, He is also considered a Divan Poet. His grave is in a graveyard in Istanbul. The poetic work of Aziz Mahmud Hudai is known by the Collection of Divine Poetry. It consists of 255 hymns and several poems written in stanzas and quatrains. It is an important work that all Turkish and Islamic worlds respect. The diction of the Divan or the collection is simple, fluent, and sometimes didactic. The subjects that the collection of poems or Divan deals with are the Sufi’s causes and focuses generally on aspects like acknowledging God and Monism. Tasawwuf is a branch of the basic Islamic Sciences in the Islamic tradition. Sufism, which emphasizes the moral education and upbringing like chastisement and purification, pays a great deal of importance on the love of human being. Causes like the origin of mankind comes from Prophet Adam and the fact that every human being has the ability to be a Muslim and that this human being if the most precious among all the creatures created by God, these causes, or subjects represent the basis of the Human love in Sufism. Aziz Mahmud Hudai spent his life in tasawwuf and led a group of people whom he founded himself. In this context, we find in his Divan or collection of poems, how to deal with the human love in different and creative perspectives. This study introduces information about the life of Aziz Mahmud Hudai and his religious and Sufi personality in addition to his literary works. After introducing a detailed analysis of the Divan of Aziz Mahmud Hudai, the research paper focuses on the main subject of the paper which love of human being. The last section of this study deals with human love in the Divan of Aziz Mahmud Hudai which represents the end of the study

Reading across confessional lines in Ayyubid Egypt: a Judaeo-Arabic Geniza fragment with three new poems by Ibn al-Kīzānī (d. 562/1166)

AbstractThe Geniza fragment T-S AS 161.50 contains three poems, all in Judaeo-Arabic, attributed to the Egyptian Sufi poet Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm Abū ʿAbd Allāh, known as Ibn al-Kīzānī (d. 562/1167). None of the texts are present in his published dīwān. In the Egyptian section of his anthology Kharīdat al-qaṣr, Saladin's secretary ʿImād al-Dīn al-Iṣfahānī (d. 597/1201) testifies to the interest of Saladin in Ibn al-Kīzānī. We are thus in a unique position to evaluate the readership of this poet; while his followers called Kīzāniyya were already known, his popularity evidently extended not only across confessional lines to be read in a Jewish milieu, but also reached elite levels, despite his (according to ʿImād al-Dīn) “heterodox” beliefs. These new texts accordingly throw light on inter-religious and unorthodox currents normally not understood to have been promoted by Saladin and his avowedly Sunni successors.