Bilimname

Abstract

Although the overwhelming majority of the population residing in present-day Iran adheres to Shiʿism, a significant portion follows the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah. This segment of society receives its religious education under the guidance of local Sunni scholars (ʿulamāʾ). In this context, Sunni scholars in the region have carried out educational activities and authored works aligned with Sunni orthodoxy. Among these scholars, individuals known as “Sufi jurists” have also contributed to the field of Sufism, thus reflecting the confluence of exoteric (ẓāhir) and esoteric (bāṭin) dimensions of Islam.
Historically, although tensions between Sufis and jurists have occasionally arisen, there have also been scholar-mystics who served as a bridge between these two domains, ensuring harmony and mutual reinforcement. Such jurists often responded to criticisms against Sufism through their legal opinions (fatwas) and scholarly works. These texts hold particular significance for understanding the relationship between Sufism (taṣawwuf) and Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). One such text is Fatāwā-yi Muḥammadiyya, a collection of fatwas by Qāḍī Muḥammad Khiḍrī (d. 1997), a prominent contemporary scholar. Residing in the city of Ushnaviyya in northwestern Iran—a region with a Sunni majority—Khiḍrī compiled and expressed his Sufi inclinations in this work. Though he was well-known for his juristic scholarship, Khiḍrī came from a deeply Sufi family and tradition. Interestingly, despite his Sufi background, his fatwas frequently draw upon Salafī sources, making him a unique figure whose fatwas on Sufism merit special attention.
Moreover, scholarly studies on the influence of contemporary Sunni scholars in Iran on the religious understanding of society remain limited. This study seeks to address that gap by analyzing Khiḍrī’s fatwas concerning Sufism. The aim is to present Khiḍrī’s perspectives on Sufism and to evaluate the mystical framework he conveyed through his legal opinions. His views and methodological preferences will be examined comparatively to offer a more comprehensive understanding.
Qāḍī Muḥammad Khiḍrī, who lived during the 20th century in a region where Sunnis formed the majority, was a prolific scholar who produced works in various Islamic disciplines despite the limited resources available. Held in high regard by the local community, he served as a muftī and imam at the central mosque of the city. Raised in a devout Sufi household, his grandfather Khalīfa Khidr was a caliph of Sayyid Ṭāhā Ḥaqqārī, one of the earliest shaykhs of the Naqshbandī-Khalidī order. His father and uncles also held caliphal positions within the same lineage. While his family emphasized the spiritual sciences, Khiḍrī devoted himself more to the study of exoteric Islamic sciences.
Nonetheless, the Sufi environment in which he was raised undeniably influenced his stature as a scholar. What is particularly noteworthy in his fatwas is his frequent reliance on non-Sufi scholars, such as Ibn Taymiyya, whose works he cites explicitly. However, when addressing Sufi concepts, he also refers to renowned Sufi figures such as Abū Naṣr al-Sarrāj al-Ṭūsī, ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī, and Sufi jurists such as Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī and Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī. In some instances, he supplements these citations with his own analytical commentary. For example, he asserts that intercession (tawassul)—when practiced without attributing divine attributes such as creation or control over life and death to the intercessor—is permissible. Thus, he holds that seeking intercession through the Prophet or even saints is acceptable, provided that one's tawḥīd remains uncompromised.