Lāhījī's Sufi Epistemology
June 15, 2026 Mory So
This chapter presents the teachings of the 15th-century Sufi thinker Lāhījī on the prerequisites for the mystical path (ṭarīqat) and his epistemology of divine knowledge. Lāhījī argues that true knowledge of God (maʿrifat) is superior to rational knowledge (taffakur) pursued by philosophers and theologians. Maʿrifat can only be attained through direct mystical experiences such as kashf (unveiling) and shuhūd (witnessing), not through syllogistic reasoning. The Sufi wayfarer must practice ascetical and contemplative disciplines under a living master to eventually witness a self-disclosure of the Real with the eye of the heart.