Walya in the Formative Period of Shi'ism and Sufism

Focused on Shiism and Sufism in the formative period of Islam, this book examines the development of the concept of walya, a complex term that has, over time, acquired a wide range of relationships with other theological ideas, chiefly in relation to the notion of authority. The book offers a textual and comparative analysis of walya based on primary sources in the ninth and tenth centuries, from both Shii and Sufi circles. The starting point is one of the oldest surviving Shii sources, Kitb Sulaym. Alongside this, the author analyses al- of Fal Shdhn al-Nishbr, Kitb al-Masin of al-Barq and Kitb al-Kf of al-Kulayn. Three major texts in Sufism are considered: Kitb al-idq by Ab Sad al-Kharrz, Tafsr al-Quran al-Am by Sahl al-Tustar, and Al-Tirmidhs Kitb Srat al-Awliy. Together, these sources highlight the doctrinal aspects of walya, exploring the identity, function, appointment, and description of those considered 'wal'. The author ultimately argues that walya is a cluster of rich, deep-rooted responses to the question of authority, developed within both Shiism and Sufism after the death of the Prophet. The book is much-needed reading for students and scholars interested in Shii and Sufi studies and Islamic philosophy.