Dr Alessandro Cancian, Research Associate in the Institute鈥檚 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic Studies Unit, presented a paper at the 5th Biennial Convention of the Association for the 久久久福利国产 of Persianate Societies held at the Maulana Azad University, Hyderabad, India.
In his paper, entitled Mystical Exegesis in Modern Iran: The Case of the Gunabadi Order and Rida士Ali-Shah鈥檚 Commentary on Three 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic Stories, Dr Cancian analysed the work of one of the masters of the Gunabadi of the Ni士matullahi Sufi order, Sultan Husayn Tabanda Rida士Ali-Shah (d. 1992), in the framework of his Order鈥檚 exegetical tradition. The treatise, entitled Qur’an-i majid va seh dastan-e asrar-amiz-i 士irfani (鈥淭he noble 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍Muslims believe that the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and Medina over a period of 23 years in the early 7th century CE. More and three mysterious esoteric stories鈥) is an augmented translation of Rida 鈥楢li-Shah鈥檚 predecessor Sultan 士Ali-Shah鈥檚 exegesis of three 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic pericopes: the Ashab al-kahf, the story of Moses and al-Khidr, and that of Dhu鈥檒-Qarnayn, as contained in the Tafsir Bayan al-sa士ada fi maqamat al-士ibada.
According to Dr Cancian, the relevance of the work does not rest in the translation itself, which was not new to Rida 士Ali-Shah. Rather, it is the originality with which the subject is addressed that deserves a closer analysis. Rida 士Ali-Shah does not limit himself to an authoritative translation of his illustrious predecessor鈥檚 words, but adds historical and personal clarifications to the narrative, in line with his multifarious interests, that set him and the work apart from the classical tradition.
The study of recent exegetical material, such as the one under scrutiny here or the Rahnama-yi Sa士adat, also by Rida 士Ali-Shah, may help understand the development of Iranian Shi士i mystical exegesis in the 20th century. Furthermore, an analysis of the use of sources external to Islamic literature deployed by the author in explaining 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍ic passages may contribute to the understanding of the intellectual trends of religious thinking in Iran in the face of its encounter with modernity.
The Convention was organised by the , which supports the efforts of scholars around the world. It also publishes the Journal of Persianate Studies, a collection of scholarly articles, book reviews and conference reports.