Dr Alessandro Cancian, Research Associate in the Institutes 紮喝娶a紳ic Studies Unit, presented a paper at the 5th Biennial Convention of the Association for the Study 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尪Ali-Shahs Commentary on Three 紮喝娶a紳ic Stories, Dr Cancian analysed the work of one of the masters of the Gunabadi of the Ni尪matullahi Sufi order, Sultan Husayn Tabanda Rida尪Ali-Shah (d. 1992), in the framework of his Orders exegetical tradition. The treatise, entitled Qur’an-i majid va seh dastan-e asrar-amiz-i 尪irfani (The noble 紮喝娶a紳Muslims believe that the Holy 紮喝娶a紳 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) is an augmented translation of Rida Ali-Shahs predecessor Sultan 尪Ali-Shahs exegesis of three 紮喝娶a紳ic pericopes: the Ashab al-kahf, the story of Moses and al-Khidr, and that of Dhul-Qarnayn, as contained in the Tafsir Bayan al-sa尪ada fi maqamat al-尪ibada.
According to Dr Cancian, the relevance of the work does not rest in the translation itself, which was not new to Rida 尪Ali-Shah. Rather, it is the originality with which the subject is addressed that deserves a closer analysis. Rida 尪Ali-Shah does not limit himself to an authoritative translation of his illustrious predecessors 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尪adat, also by Rida 尪Ali-Shah, may help understand the development of Iranian Shi尪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 紮喝娶a紳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.