IBRAHIM B. ADHAM: THE IMAGE OF THE “HOLY RULER” IN THE ISLAMIC TRADITION

Authors

  • Alikber Kalabekovic Alikberov Institute of Oriental Studies of RAS, Moscow,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24411/2618-6772-2018-12002

Keywords:

early Ṣufi tradition, Ibrahim B. Adham, al-Qushayri, Abu Bakr al-Darbandi, Arabic manuscripts, Indian miniatures, Mughal School

Abstract

Abu Iskhaq Ibrahim B. Adham al-Balkhi is well known in Muslim Historiography as the famous mystic and ascetic who lived in Balkh region in the 8th century. The early sources portray him as a ruler’s son who gave up riches of the worldly life and devoted himself to the service of God. The most important of these sources are: “Tabaqat as-sufiya” by Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman as-Sulami, “Hilyat al-awliya” by Abu Nu‘aym al-Isfahani, “Tabaqat as-sufiya” by Abu ‘Abdallah Ansari, “Ar-Risala fi-‘ilm at-tasawwuf” by Abu ’l-Qasim al-Qushayri, “Salwat al-‘arifin” by Abu Khalaf at-Tabari and “Rayhan al-haqa’iq” by Abu Bakr Muhammad al-Darbandi. It is especially important to trace the spiritual continuity of the early Sufi tradition: ad-Darbandi received the written permission ( al-ijaza ) from Abu Khalaf at-Tabari, who was a disciple of Abu’l-Qasim al-Qushayri. The later sources (Farid ad-Din ‘Attar’s “Tadhkirat al-awliya”, Maulana Rumi’s “Masnawi”, etc.) show Ibrahim B. Adham as a ruler who becomes a saint. The transformation of the image of the saint, who came from the dynasty of the rulers of Balkh, can be clearly traced in the miniatures of the Mughal School, resonating with the images of the “holy rulers” of the Mughal dynasty. The image of Ibrahim B. Adham infiltrated to India and Indonesia, where it acquired additional mythological features.

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Author Biography

  • Alikber Kalabekovic Alikberov, Institute of Oriental Studies of RAS, Moscow,
    PhD ( in History) Head of the Central Eurasia Research Center (CERC)

References

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Published

2018-06-30

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How to Cite

1.
Alikberov AK. IBRAHIM B. ADHAM: THE IMAGE OF THE “HOLY RULER” IN THE ISLAMIC TRADITION. ИАЭК. 2018;14(2):23-32. doi:10.24411/2618-6772-2018-12002