بين "الولاية الصوفية" و"الإمامة الشّيعيّة"- دراسة مقارنة تحليلية

The Concepts of Wilāya in Sufism and Imāma in Shiism: A Comparative Analytical Study

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between Sufism and Shiism through a critical analysis of two foundational concepts: al-Wilāya (spiritual authority or sainthood) in Sufism and al-Imāma (religious leadership) in Shiite thought. The relationship between these two concepts has long been a subject of scholarly debate. While some classical Muslim scholars, including Ibn Khaldūn, acknowledged certain conceptual parallels and suggested that certain Sufi expressions concerning the status of the walī may have been influenced by Shiite intellectual developments, they nevertheless affirmed Sufism's Islamic authenticity and did not regard it as a derivative of Shiism. In contrast, a number of later scholars, particularly within the Salafi tradition, argued that Sufism originated from Shiism and that the doctrine of al-Wilāya merely reproduces the Shiite concept of al-Imāma. These claims have been advanced in numerous contemporary studies without sufficient historical and textual scrutiny. Adopting an analytical and comparative methodology, this study critically evaluates these assertions by examining the scriptural, theological, and historical foundations of both concepts in their respective intellectual traditions. It analyses the similarities and differences between al-Wilāya and al-Imāma with reference to the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the classical literature of Sufism and Shiite theology. The study argues that although certain terminological and conceptual intersections exist, the two doctrines differ fundamentally in their theological premises, functions, sources of authority, and historical development. It further demonstrates that the Sufi understanding of al-Wilāya is deeply rooted in the Qur'an and the Prophetic tradition and evolved within the broader framework of Sunni Islamic spirituality rather than as a borrowing from Shiite doctrine. The study concludes that the claim that Sufism is an outgrowth of Shiism lacks sufficient historical and doctrinal evidence. Instead, Sufism represents an authentic dimension of the Islamic intellectual and spiritual tradition, possessing its own epistemological foundations and independent historical trajectory. The findings contribute to a more balanced understanding of the relationship between Sufism and Shiism and encourage a nuanced reading of their shared heritage and distinctive theological identities.