A Comparison between the Viewpoints of the Franciscan Sect with the Order of the Gonabadyeh’s Dervishes

This paper is an analysis of the Franciscan and the path of the Gonabadyeh in Shia concerning five subjects: initiation, poverty, abstinence, coverage, Zekr (repetitive saying for remembrance of God). This is a descriptive-analytic and fundamental research and it uses library method. This research is worthy in religious negotiations.Their points of similarities in initiation: In the Franciscan they need the permission of the saint and in the Gonabadyeh they need the permission of Qutb (the pole). In both of them, the initiation of the person is as monk and disciple; they learn some Zekrs, and the initiation of women is also free. Their points of differences in initiations: In the Franciscan, shaving head, passing one year for training, and living according two roles of 1221 and 1223, but in the Gonabadeyh five kinds of Qosls (ritual washing of all body), providing five poverty patches, at the end accepting five promises. In poverty, based on their sacred Book, the aim of both is achieving God. In the Franciscan poverty is voluntary and unvoluntary but in the Gonabadyeh it is real and additional. In the Franciscan only the sacred invites people to poverty, but in the Gonabadyeh there is no special person. In the Franciscan there are no stages for achieving poverty, but in the Gonabadyeh the person should pass four spiritual journeys. In both of them, Zekr is for God’s remembrance. The Franciscan holds the Zekr ceremony in monasteries, but the other in Khanqah. In the Gonabadyeh they worship God through Zekr on Fridays, but the other on Mondays; both of them say the words and also think. The Franciscan has a special time for Zekr, unlike the other; there is special Zekr for women. About abstention, the aim of both is self purification and achieving God; they both have fasting. In the Franciscan, they mutilate themselves, but in the Gonabadyeh they perform religious deeds such as Namaz (saying prayer), fasting, Jihad, and paying tithe. In coverage, they both focus on piety covering and in both of them special clothing is symbolic.