Ittihadiya

Ittihadiya, is one of the Sufi-oriented denominations and means a school, method, or sect with a Sufi approach.

Beliefs

Followers of this school believe that when the human soul becomes pure and illuminated by the light of divine knowledge, it exits the house of duality (separation of God and man) and distances itself from you-ness and I-ness, and the revealed truth is none other than the knower and known, lover and beloved merging together and servitude and divinity are set aside and both become one. It is worth mentioning that the extremists of the Ittihadiya attributed this slander to some of the Imams. Muhaqqiq Ardabili regarding the Sufi denominations of which Ittihadiya is a part writes: Know that the Sufi denominations are many and according to some narrations, their foundation is built upon four denominations named حلولیه, Ittihadiya, واصلیه and Ishqiyah. He adds that in the view of others, the principles of Sufi denominations, in addition to the four denominations mentioned, include Talifiqiyah and Razzaqiyah, and others have added Wahdatiyah bringing them to seven cases. This figure continues, rejecting all views and writes that the principles of the Sufi denomination are based on two sects: Hululiya and Ittihadiya.

Interpretation of Ittihadiya and Hululiya Methods

Muhaqqiq Ardabili writes regarding the methods of these two sects that Hululiya believe God has incarnated in us, but Ittihadiya believe that we become one with God and God is one with all mystics. Muhammad ibn Husayn Razi Abi also divides the Sufis into six sects and introduces the first of them as Ittihadiya and writes "The first sect of the Sufis are the Ittihadiya who claim union and their leader was Mansur Hallaj who claimed divinity. Hallaj was a sorcerer and was skilled in sorcery. He was a student of Abdullah ibn Hilal al-Kufi and Abdullah was a student of Zarqa al-Yamama from those who learned sorcery from Sajjah and Sajjah lived during the time of Musaylimah the Liar who claimed prophethood. Abd al-Mun'im Hafni has considered Ittihadiya from the Ghulat Sufis. Louis Massignon introduces Ittihadiya as زندقه.

See Also

• Mansur Hallaj
• حلولیه
• واصلیه

References

• Mohammad-Javad Mashkur, Culture of Islamic Sects, Mashhad, Astan Quds Razavi Publications, Year 1372 SH, 2nd ed., Insertion date: N/A, Access date: 16 Dey 1404 SH.

• Abd al-Mun'im Hanafi, Encyclopedia of Sects and Groups and Denominations and Parties and Islamic Movements, Insertion date: N/A, Access date: 16 Dey 1404 SH.

• A group of authors, The Islamic Encyclopedia, Insertion date: N/A, Access date: 16 Dey 1404 SH.

• Muhammad ibn Husayn Razi Abi, Tabsirat al-Awam, Insertion date: N/A, Access date: 16 Dey 1404 SH.