COMPARATIVE SUFI STUDIES: TASAVVUF AND ZOROASTRISM

Abstract

Scientific debate and controversy about the doctrine that served as a source or participated in the process of the emergence and formation of the doctrine of Sufism, which developed throughout the Islamic world and even beyond its borders for almost 1300 years and is known as a great civilizational phenomenon that has left humanity with an invaluable religious, philosophical and the literary legacy is still ongoing. Orientalists and Islamic scholars of the world look at this issue differently. While some European orientalists seek to trace the origins of Sufism to Western civilization – Ancient Greek philosophy and Christianity, some researchers trace its roots to the ancient Eastern civilization – Ancient Indian philosophy – Vedic religions and Buddhism, Ancient Iranian religions – Mazdaism, Zoroastrianism and Manakhetiism. Another group of Orientalists and European Orientalists argue that Islam was the original source of Sufism.

This article briefly analyzes and explores Zoroastrianism, which is singled out by some researchers as one of the main sources that formed Sufism, and its connection with the teachings of Sufism within the Islamic religion, and also studies the similarities and differences between them. in a comparative way.