Introduction of other angles of the manuscript "Lataif Ashrafi Fe Bayan Tawaif Sufi" and examining the important topics of practical mysticism in it

Ashraf Jahangir Semnani, a Chishtiyya Sufi sheikh of Iranian descent in India, authored the manuscript "Lataif Ashrafi Fi Bayan Tawaif Sufi," a comprehensive mystical encyclopedia covering practical and theoretical mysticism, theology, literature, and history. His disciple Nizamuddin Gharib Yemeni codified the work. This descriptive-analytical research introduces the manuscript and examines its practical mysticism topics, such as Sufism, monastic etiquette, and Sufi recommendations. The findings show that Ashraf's mystical thoughts blend views from the Kabruyeh sect, especially Sheikh Alaa al-Dawlah Semnani, the Chishtiyeh sect, and Ibn Arabi. Through his interview with Mirsaid Ali Hamdani and Abd al-Razzaq Kashani, he combines methods of the first mystical tradition (Chishtiyyah) with the second tradition in the subcontinent.

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Abstract

Ashraf Jahangir Semnani (d. 798 A.H.), is one of the mystics of Iranian descent of the Chishtiyya sect and one of the Sufi sheikhs living in India. One of his most important works is "Lataif Ashrafi Fi Bayan Tawaif Sufi". This work is in the form of a manuscript and is one of the comprehensive mystical encyclopedias and contains practical and theoretical mysticism topics as well as theological, literary and historical issues. Nizamuddin Gharib Yemeni - disciple of Ashraf Jahangir Semnani - has written this book in a codified form. This research, with a descriptive-analytical approach, introduces the manuscript of Lataif Ashrafi and examines practical mysticism in this book. The basic topics of this research are based on the introduction of Lataif Ashrafi's version and the writing features of the version, as well as the topics of practical mysticism, including Sufism, monastic etiquette and Sufi recommendations. The results of the introduction and examination of the manuscript - which has not been published in Iran so far - is that Ashraf's mystical thoughts and opinions are the meeting point of the views of the Kabruyeh sect, especially Sheikh Alaa al-Dawlah Semnani, the Chishtiyeh sect, and Ibn Arabi's views. Through his interview with Mirsaid Ali Hamdani and Abd al-Razzaq Kashani, he seeks to combine and combine one of the methods of the first mystical tradition (Chishtiyyah) with the mystical opinions of the second tradition in the subcontinent.