Investigating and analyzing Imam Khomeini’s attitude to the Process of mysticism and Sufism In the contemporary period (1929 to 1989)

Sufism is of thought cultural flows in Iran that has played significant role to spread Shia and a kind of religiosity. Socially lived and sometimes being far, the flow has extreemly influenced social and political evolutions. Sufism could neverthelese cause two barriers for policy men like Imam Khomeini. First, some ignorant sufic thinkings which ends to lethargy; and second, withdrawal of some sufists from religious performa which grounded secularity in the society.  On the other hand, his own mystic interests that could distance him from society and politics by excusing edification of the soul. Despite his dependency to this flow,however, he attempted continuously to present a true narration of sufism and also engage it with socio/political society of Iran; then extracting a way to solve Iranian problems. Therefore, two pictures of Sufism are viewed in his works: one shows that Sufism is aligned with other religious sciences as a branch of Islamic sciences. Another picture indicates that Sufism is a major stream enjoying cultural, educative, and cognitive aspects. Imam Khomeini had no criticism on the first picture; however, he separated laity sufi from elites in the second one and criticized pubular laities manner. He decided to halt Sufism from deviations and restore its main statuse, the so called original statuse of Islam’s first days when true, real sufi devotees protested against the undesired current situation and attempted to revise injustices and disorders. Despite being attuned and sympathetic with canonical Sufism in thought and action which his most ethical/mystical works approved, Imam Khomeini challenged Sufism in some cases. Spacing apparently between himself and Sufism and also recess from mystic teaching, he initiated canonical Fegh approach and stepped into the authority of religious sciences. Then, he entered into the political world based on the religious authority and mysticism. He could so far engaged Islamic movement leadership equipped with potentials of Sufism, mysticism, and religious authorship. Triumphing the revolution through people backups and establishing Islamic Republic Regime, thereafter, he could give a role to the religion in the stage of society and politics. Imam Khomeini succeeded to force previous silent sufi to accompany with himself and the newly formed regime. Furthermore. He gained spiritual leadership of the society as well as the political one, and preserved Iranian spiritual preceptor and mentorship throughout his life. Introducing Imam Khomeini’s comment of sufism, the study tries during four sections to perscribe, codify, critique, and analyze this flow; finally, it confirm the hypothesis that Imam Khomeini attemped to connect canonical sufism with politics and society despite being dependent upon true sufism. And he could evoke a revolution based on mysticism and politics.