The founding of the Safavid State in Iran

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The founding of the Safavid State in Iran

The mischief of this group continued. This pernicious state of affairs persisted until it eventually led to the rise of the Safavids who established an independent Shia state in Iran. This state was subject to neither Abbasid nor Ottoman authority, which was at that time the center of Muslim unity. The Shia and their Jewish and Christian helpers could initially not establish the state in the name of Shi’ism. They therefore established it in the name of Sufism. Safi al Din al Ardabili, the founder of the Safavid State was the preceptor of a Sufi tariqah (order). He deceived the masses and gained a following for himself. Thereafter, he gradually started to spread his beliefs and his sons continued to do so after his death.[1]

By the Safavid rise to power, Iran came to possess something it hadn’t possessed for a very long time: an independent identity. The last time Iran had an identity of her own had been under the Sassanid emperors. Now Ithna ‘Ashari Shi’ism became the state religion of Iran just as Zoroastrianism had been the state religion of the Sassanids. The Safavids embarked upon a serious campaign to convert the Ahlus Sunnah to Shi’ism by any means whatsoever, even through coercion, persecution and the shedding of innocent blood. At that point in time, the vast majority of Muslims in Iran were Sunnis. They constituted 90% of the total population, while the remaining 10% were of various religious denominations. The Safavids started to massacre the Ahlus Sunnah and drove many of them into exile. History is witness to the massacre of 40 000 Muslims in the city of Tabriz on a single day. The result was that the only Sunnis who remained in Iran were those who inhabited the frontier regions of Iran, as has been mentioned previously. The greatest of the Safavid tyrants was Shah Ismail. It was his wish that all the Masjids in the Ottoman domains should be turned into Christian churches, as he wrote to one Christian king of Europe. In addition to his persecution of the Ahlus Sunnah, he played a major role in undermining the Ottoman empire by cooperating with the Christians to obstruct Ottoman expansion into Europe. He honoured Christians and humbled the Ahlus Sunnah. It was thus the Safavids who set the precedent of declaring Ithna ‘Ashari Shi’ism the state religion of Iran. Whoever came after them acknowledged their precedent. From that point onwards, a change occurred in the standards, values and traditions of Islam of which people were once so proud, in whose shade they lived and whose fruits they enjoyed, since it came down to them from the Sahabah, the Tabi’in and the Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them). It was then that hatred was born and the place of love and affection was taken by resentment and antipathy. Thus, time went on until the Pahlavi era dawned. Destiny took its course, and corruption and immorality was on the increase. The stage was set for even greater boldness by the last wretch Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. He went as far as to abolish the Hijri calendar, replacing it by a Sassanid Shahanshahi calendar. The lost glory of the ancient Persians was a matter of special pride to him. Addressing the Sassanid emperor, he said: “Sleep easily, Cyrus, for we are awake.” He claimed that “today we have reached the doorsteps of civilisation and progress.” He was aided in this regard by Baha’i helpers and counselors who hated Islam and Muslims.

NEXT⇒ The Iranian Revolution

[1] The author’s identification of Sheikh Safi al Din of Ardabil as the founder of the Safavid State and his contention that he utilised his Sufi tariqah to spread Shi’ism are both incorrect. Sheikh Safi al Din was a Sunni and a Shafi’i, as were the vast majority of the people of Ardabil in particular and Iran in general. The introduction of Shi’ism in the Sufi tariqah founded by him (called the Safawi tariqah) came about long after his death and was most probably brought about by his 3rd descendant, Haydar. By the time Haydar’s son Ismail—the actual founder of the Safavid State in 1501—succeeded his father as leader of the tariqah, it had become a fully Shia movement.

BACK⇒ Return to Table of contents

The founding of the Safavid State in Iran

The mischief of this group continued. This pernicious state of affairs persisted until it eventually led to the rise of the Safavids who established an independent Shia state in Iran. This state was subject to neither Abbasid nor Ottoman authority, which was at that time the center of Muslim unity. The Shia and their Jewish and Christian helpers could initially not establish the state in the name of Shi’ism. They therefore established it in the name of Sufism. Safi al Din al Ardabili, the founder of the Safavid State was the preceptor of a Sufi tariqah (order). He deceived the masses and gained a following for himself. Thereafter, he gradually started to spread his beliefs and his sons continued to do so after his death.[1]

By the Safavid rise to power, Iran came to possess something it hadn’t possessed for a very long time: an independent identity. The last time Iran had an identity of her own had been under the Sassanid emperors. Now Ithna ‘Ashari Shi’ism became the state religion of Iran just as Zoroastrianism had been the state religion of the Sassanids. The Safavids embarked upon a serious campaign to convert the Ahlus Sunnah to Shi’ism by any means whatsoever, even through coercion, persecution and the shedding of innocent blood. At that point in time, the vast majority of Muslims in Iran were Sunnis. They constituted 90% of the total population, while the remaining 10% were of various religious denominations. The Safavids started to massacre the Ahlus Sunnah and drove many of them into exile. History is witness to the massacre of 40 000 Muslims in the city of Tabriz on a single day. The result was that the only Sunnis who remained in Iran were those who inhabited the frontier regions of Iran, as has been mentioned previously. The greatest of the Safavid tyrants was Shah Ismail. It was his wish that all the Masjids in the Ottoman domains should be turned into Christian churches, as he wrote to one Christian king of Europe. In addition to his persecution of the Ahlus Sunnah, he played a major role in undermining the Ottoman empire by cooperating with the Christians to obstruct Ottoman expansion into Europe. He honoured Christians and humbled the Ahlus Sunnah. It was thus the Safavids who set the precedent of declaring Ithna ‘Ashari Shi’ism the state religion of Iran. Whoever came after them acknowledged their precedent. From that point onwards, a change occurred in the standards, values and traditions of Islam of which people were once so proud, in whose shade they lived and whose fruits they enjoyed, since it came down to them from the Sahabah, the Tabi’in and the Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them). It was then that hatred was born and the place of love and affection was taken by resentment and antipathy. Thus, time went on until the Pahlavi era dawned. Destiny took its course, and corruption and immorality was on the increase. The stage was set for even greater boldness by the last wretch Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. He went as far as to abolish the Hijri calendar, replacing it by a Sassanid Shahanshahi calendar. The lost glory of the ancient Persians was a matter of special pride to him. Addressing the Sassanid emperor, he said: “Sleep easily, Cyrus, for we are awake.” He claimed that “today we have reached the doorsteps of civilisation and progress.” He was aided in this regard by Baha’i helpers and counselors who hated Islam and Muslims.

NEXT⇒ The Iranian Revolution

[1] The author’s identification of Sheikh Safi al Din of Ardabil as the founder of the Safavid State and his contention that he utilised his Sufi tariqah to spread Shi’ism are both incorrect. Sheikh Safi al Din was a Sunni and a Shafi’i, as were the vast majority of the people of Ardabil in particular and Iran in general. The introduction of Shi’ism in the Sufi tariqah founded by him (called the Safawi tariqah) came about long after his death and was most probably brought about by his 3rd descendant, Haydar. By the time Haydar’s son Ismail—the actual founder of the Safavid State in 1501—succeeded his father as leader of the tariqah, it had become a fully Shia movement.