The guide book of theoretical Tasawwuf: Content and influences of Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi's Miftah al-ghayb

Abstract

The history of sufism entered a new process called "period of muhaqqiqs /period of metaphysical sufism/ tasawwuf" with Ibn al-Arabi one of the most important intellectuals of sufi/tasawwuf thought. Ibn al-Arabi is the leading muhaqqiqs formulating the understanding of this period which is peculiar to itself with his books. However, the person who regulated the knowledge inherited from him and produced a new doctrine from it is Sadr al-Din al-Qunawi. His book, Miftah al-ghayb, in which he exhibited this contribution, and which is assigned to principles and orders of theoretical tasawwuf thought is accepted as an essential book by muhaqqiqs after Qunawi. Because of its complicated and important content, many commentaries were written on Miftah al-ghayb. Thus, theoretical tasawwuf thought by the commentators of Qunawi have taken Akbarian-Qunawian form and gained a place in Turkish-Islamic thought. In this article, characteristics of metaphysical term in history of sufism will be mentioned shortly, the content and influences ofMiftah al-ghayb will be stated and the Akbarian-Qunawian movement consisting from commentators of Miftah al-ghayb, which have shaped the theoretical Tasawwuf thought will be introduced in general.