The Novel “Shah & Sultan” from the Perspective of Sufism and the Sociology of Sufi Orders
İran Çalışmaları Dergisi June 29, 2026 DOI: 10.33201/iranian.1954478 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Literary analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Sufism Contest Perspective graphical Narrative Politics Epistemology Islam Religious studies Sociological imagination Social thought |
| Key points | Argues that Pala's novel reframes Ottoman-Safavid relations as a multifaceted encounter involving Sufi institutions, sectarian identities, and social transformation, rather than merely political and military conflict, making it valuable for studying Sufism and the sociology of Sufi orders. |
Abstract
Shah& Sultan by Iskender Pala approaches Ottoman-Safavid relations not only as a political and military conflict, but also as a multilayered encounter shaped by Sufi institutions, sectarian identities, and processes of social transformation. In this respect, the novel transcends the conventional boundaries of the historical novel and emerges as a significant text for the study of Sufism and the sociology of Sufi orders. At the center of the narrative stands the struggle between Yavuz Sultan Selim (d. 1520) and Shah Ismail (d. 1524), represented not merely as a contest for political power, but also as a confrontation between Sunni and Shia worldviews, tekke-centered organizations, and competing mystical traditions.