Conceptual Constructs of Maqāmāt and Aḥwāl in the Sufi Journey: The Articulation of Imām al-Ḥaddād’s Thought

Abstract

This thesis explores the concepts of maqāmāt (spiritual stations) and aḥwāl (spiritual states) within the Sufi tradition, with particular attention to their formulation in the thought of Imām al-Ḥaddād, an 11th–12th/17th–18th-century Yemeni scholar. It begins by offering an extensive account of Imām al-Ḥaddād’s background, including his genealogical lineage within the Bā ʿAlawiyya order, socio-political context, educational formation, the establishment of al-Ḥāwī as his teaching institution, and his major literary contributions. The study then traces the historical and epistemological development of these concepts in classical Sufism, highlighting their evolution from early Islamic spirituality to their more structured articulation in later periods. The thesis situates Imām al-Ḥaddād’s thought within the broader trajectory of the Bā ʿAlawiyya tradition, examining its development from the era of al-Faqīh al-Muqaddam in the 7th/13th century up to the period preceding Imām al-Ḥaddād’s emergence. It explores how maqāmāt and aḥwāl were conceptualised and practised by early Bā ʿAlawiyya scholars, and how these notions were interpreted within their spiritual pedagogy. A central focus of the study is a conceptual analysis of the maqāmāt of yaqīn (certainty), which Imām al-Ḥaddād identified as the ultimate goal of the spiritual journey. Drawing on the intellectual legacy of classical Sufi literature and the contributions of earlier Bā ʿAlawiyya scholars, he organises a sequence of nine spiritual maqāmāt, from the station of tawba (repentance) to that of riḍā (contentment), which he adapted to suit his pedagogical approach known as Ṭarīqat Ahl al-Yamīn. This framework is designed to be accessible to a broad audience while still providing guidance for more advanced seekers. The thesis further investigates Imām al-Ḥaddād’s treatment of aḥwāl as a form of esoteric knowledge. It examines his classification of those who experience aḥwāl as either sālikūn (those still journeying) or wāṣilūn (those who have arrived) on the spiritual path, providing insights into his view of the dynamics of mystical experience. Particular attention is given to his discussion of specific mystical states, such as mawājid (ecstatic experiences) during dhikr (remembrance of God), fatra (spiritual latency), ḥuḍūr (presence), shuhūd (witnessing), fanāʾ (annihilation of the self), and baqāʾ (subsistence in God), and how these are evaluated and understood within his spiritual methodology.