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A Brief History of The Struggle Between Gonabadi Dervishes and the Islamic Republic of Iran (2005 - 2018)

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 337 - 359, 31.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.33201/iranian.962499

Abstract

The Gonabadi Sufi Order is one of the three main branches of the Nimatullahi Sufi order that was originated by Shah Nimatullahi Wali in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Dervishes, the best known of its followers, assert that they believe in peace, security, and equality and avoid violence and politics. The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran is officially based on the "Twelver Shia" and only recognizes a small minority as a religion officially. In spite of this, even though they describe themselves as the "Twelver Shia", they reject the principal foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran's official religion. As a result, dervishes were declared as "heretics" by the state. After the Revolution, especially after 1995, systematic attacks have intensified on members of the order and their Hosseiniyeh, where they performed their religious rituals. The Hosseiniyeh in Kerman was the first place to be attacked; the Hosseiniyehs in Qom, Tehran, Karaj, and Borujerd were also attacked and destroyed. Eventually, the scale of the attacks was expanded to the tombs of the prominent figures of the Gonabadi order. These conflicts increased in intensity after 2005, in Ahmadinejad's presidency, and caused social outrages that resulted in death at various times. In this study, the background of these fierce conflicts will be examined and the history of the conflict will be conveyed. The events that led the dervishes, who define themselves peaceful at every opportunity, to such violent conflicts with the state will be perused. In addition, the reasons why the state sees these dervishes as an internal enemy will be examined.

References

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  • BBC-Persian. (2014). Itisab ghaza khanegi darvishan dar Iran. BBC Persian. https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran/2014/03/140307_nm_darvish_gonabad_strike
  • Bciran. (2013). Name-ye vokela-ye zendegi-ye deravesh be Hassan Rouhani: Ma hich dar khasti az jonabali nedarim. Nefes Dar Ghafes. https://bciran.org/نامه-وکلاي-زنداني-دراويش-به-حسن-روحاني/
  • Chamani, A. (2018). Zist darvishan dar Iran: Az takhrib kanaghah ta sarkub piravan. Tribune Zamaneh. https://www.tribunezamaneh.com/archives/152912
  • DeutscheWelle. (2018). Moshkel-e jomhoori-ye eslami ba deravesh-e Gonabadi chist? Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/fa-ir/مشکل-جمهوری-اسلامی-با-دراویش-گنابادی-چیست/a-42663244
  • Haghighatnejad, R. (2014). Majara-ye 14 ruz ıstadegi-ye darvishan Iran; Ulgu-ye mughavemat madani. Iran Wire. https://iranwire.com/fa/features/531
  • IHRDC. (2021). Living under suppression: The situation of gonabadi dervishes in Iran. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. https://iranhrdc.org/living-under-suppression-the-situation-of-gonabadi-dervishes-in-iran/#_ftnref166
  • IQNA. (2020). Chera natavanistim khoms va zakat ra varid maliyatha konim; mafhum vajh-u-ımarih. IQNA News Agenc. https://iqna.ir/fa/news/3872646/چرا-نتوانستهایم-خمس-و-زکات-را-وارد-مالیاتها-کنیم-مفهوم-وجهالاماره-در-اقتصاد-اسلامی
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  • IRB. (2021). Iran: Situation and treatment of Gonabadi dervishes and their family members by society and authorities, including whether dervishes can practice their faith in Iran (2018–February 2021). Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/2048922.html
  • Kucukkalfa, A. (2017). Nimatullahi Sufi Order, Safavids and interviews on Nimatullahi Sufi Order (2014-2015). Alevilik-Bektaşilik Araştırmaları Dergisi, 15, 301–321. https://doi.org/10.24082/abked.2017.15.012
  • Lewisohn, L. (1998). An Introduction to the history of modern Persian sufism , Part I: The Niʿmatullāhī Order: Persecution, Revival and Schism. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 61(3), 437–464. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3107753
  • Nurbakhsh, J. (1992). In the tavern of ruin: Seven essays on sufism. Khaniqahi Nimatullahi Publications.
  • Ocak, A. Y. (1992). Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda marjinal sufilik: Kalenderiler (XIV-XVII. Yüzyıllar). Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
  • Pazouki, S. (2016). Sultan ‘Alishah Gunabadi — The renewer of the Nematullahı Order in Iran (part one). Majzooban-e Noor. https://www.majzooban.org/en/6873/
  • Pezhvak. (2008). Vaziyat daravish Nematollahi Gonabadi dar sal 1387. Pezhvak Iran. https://www.pezhvakeiran.com/page1.php?id=9181
  • Pooya, A. (2018). Otobus mozi online sīyasatmadaran dar bare deravish Gonabadi. BBC Persian. https://www.bbc.com/persian/43126628
  • Pourjavady, N. (n.d.). Shah Nematollah Vali: An heir to two mystical literary traditions.
  • Radio Farda. (2009a). Hosseinieh Deravish Gonabadi dar Isfahan takhrib shod. Radio Farda. https://www.radiofarda.com/a/o2_daravish_isfahan_demolished/1495488.html
  • Radio Farda. (2009b). Ludirha dar maghbarih darvish Naser Ali. Radio Farda. https://www.radiofarda.com/a/f1_Dervishes_Isfahan/1495744.html
  • Refworld. (2010). Discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in Iran. International Federation for Human Rights. https://www.refworld.org/docid/4c8622f72.html
  • Saberi, R. (2006). Growing popularity of Sufism in Iran. BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4907406.stm
  • Schimmel, A. (2019). Sufism. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica inc. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sufism
  • Seda-ye Iran. (2018a). Bozorgterin mokhalef-e deravish-e Gonabadi kist? Seda-Ye Iran. https://sedayiran.com/fa/news/179009/بزرگترین-مخالف-دراویش-گنابادی-کیست
  • Seda-ye Iran. (2018b). Deravesh-e Gonabadi che kesani hastend? Seda-ye Iran. https://sedayiran.com/fa/news/177344/دراویش-گنابادی-چه-کسانی-هستند
  • Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh (Ed.). (2003). Celebrating a sufi master: A collection of works on the occasion of the second ınternational symposiom on Shah Nematollah Vali (p. 126). Simorgh Sufi Society.
  • Shabtab News. (2018). Vagha-ye golestan-e haftom: nīshtar bar zakhmhaai chehel salai daravesh Nematollahi Gonabadi. Shabtab News.
  • Shirvani, H. (1929). Hadaigh al-siyaha. Sazman-e Chap-e Daneshgah.
  • Sistani (nd). Following a mujtahid (Taqlid) Taqlid: Following a Mujtahid. https://www.sistani.org/english/book/48/2116/
  • Van den Bos, M. E. W. (2013). Gunābādiyya. In Encyclopaedia of Islam (pp. 148–152). Brill. https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-3/*-COM_27547
  • VOA. (2015). Barnameh va tarh “emha-ye deravish” az Saeed Emami ta emrooz. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6i9ssFbx8
  • Witschge, L. (2018). Iran’s Gonabadi Dervishes: A ‘long history’ of persecution. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/02/27/irans-gonabadi-dervishes-a-long-history-of-persecution/
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  • YouTube. (2016). Sajdeh ber qotb - reis-e ferqha-ye zaleh-ye deravish-e Gonabadi. Sadid Sadidonline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6i9ssFbx8
  • YouTube. (2017). Karha-ye acib va khandedar peyrovan-e fergha-ye Gonabadi. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6i9ssFbx8
  • YouTube. (2018). Chera ın heme-ye sheddat ’amel ba deravish-e Gonabadi? YouTube.
  • Zimmt, R. (2018). A year of protests in Iran: Situation assessment. The Institute for National Security Studies. https://www.inss.org.il/publication/year-protests-iran-situation-assessment/

Gonabadi Dervişleri ve İran İslam Cumhuriyeti Arasındaki Çatışmaların Kısa Tarihi (2005 - 2018)

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 337 - 359, 31.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.33201/iranian.962499

Abstract

Gonabadi Dervişleri, Şah Nimetullahi Veli tarafından 14 ile 15. yüzyıllarda kurulmuş Nimetullahi Tarikatının üç ana kolundan birisidir. Halk arasında “Dervişler” olarak bilinen Gonabadiler kendilerini barışa, güvenliğe ve eşitliğe inanan, şiddet ve siyasetten uzak bir grup şeklinde tanımlamaktadırlar. Her ne kadar kendilerini On İki İmam Şia’sından tanımlasalar da İran İslam Cumhuriyeti’nin politik temellerini teşkil eden ve anayasasında da bulunan temel unsurları reddetmektedirler. Bu sebeple Dervişler devlet tarafından “sapkın” ilan edilmiştir. Devrim’den sonra, özellikle de 1995 sonrası gelişen süreçte bu grubun mensuplarına ve dini ibadetlerini gerçekleştirdikleri Hüseyniyelerine sistematik saldırılar yoğunlaşmıştır. İlk saldırı Kirman’daki Hüseyniyede gerçekleşmiş, ardından Kum, Tahran, Kerec ve Burucerd’teki Hüseyniyeleri saldırıya uğrayarak yıkılmıştır. En sonunda saldırıların ölçeği Gonabadi Dervişlerinin önemli isimlerinin mezarlarına kadar genişleyerek bu mezarlara saldırılar gerçekleşmiştir. Ahmedinejad’ın cumhurbaşkanı olduğu 2005 yılı ve sonrasında Gonabadiler üzerindeki baskı artmış ve gerilim yıldan yıla tırmanmıştır. 2005 ile 2018 yılları arasında yaşanan irili ufaklı birçok olay neticesinde çok sayıda derviş tutuklanmıştır. 2018 yılında yaşanan olaylar bu tırmanışın zirve noktası olmuştur. Bu çalışmada, bu şiddetli çatışmaların arka planı incelenecek ve çatışmanın tarihi aktarılacaktır. Kendilerini her fırsatta barışçıl olarak niteleyen Dervişlerin devletle neden sorunlar yaşadığı ve devletin de Dervişleri neden bir “iç düşman” olarak nitelendirdiği detaylıca irdelenecektir.

References

  • Algar, H. (2002). Gonabadi Order. Iranica (pp. 122–126). Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation. https://iranicaonline.org/articles/gonabadi-order
  • Al-Monitor. (2018). Iranian authorities, sufi leader move toward reconciliation. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2018/02/iran-gonabadi-dervishes-sufi-clashes-tehran-tabande.html
  • Ansari, N. (2018). The Gonabadi Dervishes: Gnostics, royal advisors, political and religious adversaries. Kayhan Life. https://kayhanlife.com/people/the-gonabadi-dervishes-gnostics-royal-advisors-political-and-religious-adversaries/
  • Asrar Haqiqat. (2013). Nāmih darāvish gonabadi bi masʿulin va maqāmāt-i dolati dar khusūs-i ḥamlih bi majles darāvish dar shahr-e kurd. Asrar Haqiqat. https://asrarehaghighat.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/نامه-دراویش-گنابادی-به-مسئولین-و-مقاما/
  • BBC. (2007). Takhrib hosseinieh daravish gonabadi dar boroujerd. BBC Persian. https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran/story/2007/11/071111_bd-gonabadi
  • BBC-Persian. (2014). Itisab ghaza khanegi darvishan dar Iran. BBC Persian. https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran/2014/03/140307_nm_darvish_gonabad_strike
  • Bciran. (2013). Name-ye vokela-ye zendegi-ye deravesh be Hassan Rouhani: Ma hich dar khasti az jonabali nedarim. Nefes Dar Ghafes. https://bciran.org/نامه-وکلاي-زنداني-دراويش-به-حسن-روحاني/
  • Chamani, A. (2018). Zist darvishan dar Iran: Az takhrib kanaghah ta sarkub piravan. Tribune Zamaneh. https://www.tribunezamaneh.com/archives/152912
  • DeutscheWelle. (2018). Moshkel-e jomhoori-ye eslami ba deravesh-e Gonabadi chist? Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/fa-ir/مشکل-جمهوری-اسلامی-با-دراویش-گنابادی-چیست/a-42663244
  • Haghighatnejad, R. (2014). Majara-ye 14 ruz ıstadegi-ye darvishan Iran; Ulgu-ye mughavemat madani. Iran Wire. https://iranwire.com/fa/features/531
  • IHRDC. (2021). Living under suppression: The situation of gonabadi dervishes in Iran. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. https://iranhrdc.org/living-under-suppression-the-situation-of-gonabadi-dervishes-in-iran/#_ftnref166
  • IQNA. (2020). Chera natavanistim khoms va zakat ra varid maliyatha konim; mafhum vajh-u-ımarih. IQNA News Agenc. https://iqna.ir/fa/news/3872646/چرا-نتوانستهایم-خمس-و-زکات-را-وارد-مالیاتها-کنیم-مفهوم-وجهالاماره-در-اقتصاد-اسلامی
  • IranGlobal. (2018). Goftegu ba Dr. Seyyed Mostafa Azmayesh darbare aghayed va vazeyat deravish Gonabadi. Iran Global. https://iranglobal.info/node/65277
  • IRB. (2021). Iran: Situation and treatment of Gonabadi dervishes and their family members by society and authorities, including whether dervishes can practice their faith in Iran (2018–February 2021). Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. https://www.ecoi.net/de/dokument/2048922.html
  • Kucukkalfa, A. (2017). Nimatullahi Sufi Order, Safavids and interviews on Nimatullahi Sufi Order (2014-2015). Alevilik-Bektaşilik Araştırmaları Dergisi, 15, 301–321. https://doi.org/10.24082/abked.2017.15.012
  • Lewisohn, L. (1998). An Introduction to the history of modern Persian sufism , Part I: The Niʿmatullāhī Order: Persecution, Revival and Schism. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 61(3), 437–464. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3107753
  • Nurbakhsh, J. (1992). In the tavern of ruin: Seven essays on sufism. Khaniqahi Nimatullahi Publications.
  • Ocak, A. Y. (1992). Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda marjinal sufilik: Kalenderiler (XIV-XVII. Yüzyıllar). Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi.
  • Pazouki, S. (2016). Sultan ‘Alishah Gunabadi — The renewer of the Nematullahı Order in Iran (part one). Majzooban-e Noor. https://www.majzooban.org/en/6873/
  • Pezhvak. (2008). Vaziyat daravish Nematollahi Gonabadi dar sal 1387. Pezhvak Iran. https://www.pezhvakeiran.com/page1.php?id=9181
  • Pooya, A. (2018). Otobus mozi online sīyasatmadaran dar bare deravish Gonabadi. BBC Persian. https://www.bbc.com/persian/43126628
  • Pourjavady, N. (n.d.). Shah Nematollah Vali: An heir to two mystical literary traditions.
  • Radio Farda. (2009a). Hosseinieh Deravish Gonabadi dar Isfahan takhrib shod. Radio Farda. https://www.radiofarda.com/a/o2_daravish_isfahan_demolished/1495488.html
  • Radio Farda. (2009b). Ludirha dar maghbarih darvish Naser Ali. Radio Farda. https://www.radiofarda.com/a/f1_Dervishes_Isfahan/1495744.html
  • Refworld. (2010). Discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in Iran. International Federation for Human Rights. https://www.refworld.org/docid/4c8622f72.html
  • Saberi, R. (2006). Growing popularity of Sufism in Iran. BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4907406.stm
  • Schimmel, A. (2019). Sufism. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica inc. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sufism
  • Seda-ye Iran. (2018a). Bozorgterin mokhalef-e deravish-e Gonabadi kist? Seda-Ye Iran. https://sedayiran.com/fa/news/179009/بزرگترین-مخالف-دراویش-گنابادی-کیست
  • Seda-ye Iran. (2018b). Deravesh-e Gonabadi che kesani hastend? Seda-ye Iran. https://sedayiran.com/fa/news/177344/دراویش-گنابادی-چه-کسانی-هستند
  • Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh (Ed.). (2003). Celebrating a sufi master: A collection of works on the occasion of the second ınternational symposiom on Shah Nematollah Vali (p. 126). Simorgh Sufi Society.
  • Shabtab News. (2018). Vagha-ye golestan-e haftom: nīshtar bar zakhmhaai chehel salai daravesh Nematollahi Gonabadi. Shabtab News.
  • Shirvani, H. (1929). Hadaigh al-siyaha. Sazman-e Chap-e Daneshgah.
  • Sistani (nd). Following a mujtahid (Taqlid) Taqlid: Following a Mujtahid. https://www.sistani.org/english/book/48/2116/
  • Van den Bos, M. E. W. (2013). Gunābādiyya. In Encyclopaedia of Islam (pp. 148–152). Brill. https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-3/*-COM_27547
  • VOA. (2015). Barnameh va tarh “emha-ye deravish” az Saeed Emami ta emrooz. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6i9ssFbx8
  • Witschge, L. (2018). Iran’s Gonabadi Dervishes: A ‘long history’ of persecution. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/02/27/irans-gonabadi-dervishes-a-long-history-of-persecution/
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Islam (2003). Qutb. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100359648.
  • YouTube. (2016). Sajdeh ber qotb - reis-e ferqha-ye zaleh-ye deravish-e Gonabadi. Sadid Sadidonline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6i9ssFbx8
  • YouTube. (2017). Karha-ye acib va khandedar peyrovan-e fergha-ye Gonabadi. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P6i9ssFbx8
  • YouTube. (2018). Chera ın heme-ye sheddat ’amel ba deravish-e Gonabadi? YouTube.
  • Zimmt, R. (2018). A year of protests in Iran: Situation assessment. The Institute for National Security Studies. https://www.inss.org.il/publication/year-protests-iran-situation-assessment/
There are 41 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects International Relations
Journal Section Makaleler
Authors

Oral Toğa 0000-0003-2462-3037

Publication Date December 31, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 5 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Toğa, O. (2021). A Brief History of The Struggle Between Gonabadi Dervishes and the Islamic Republic of Iran (2005 - 2018). İran Çalışmaları Dergisi, 5(2), 337-359. https://doi.org/10.33201/iranian.962499

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