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Ala ad-Dawla Simnani

Type Figure Region Persia Time 1261–1336 Also known as Ala ad-Dawla Semnani

Ala ad-Dawla Simnani (1261–1336) was a prominent Kubrawi Sufi scholar and writer of the Ilkhanate period, critic of Ibn Arabi's wahdat al-wujud.

Timeline

  1. 1301–1305Sufi Abad · Semnan ProvinceBetween 1301 and 1305, Ala ad-Dawla Simnani gathered an increasing number of disciples around the Sufi abad of Semnan, expounding his mystical system through writings and letters. Relations with Öljaitü were tense, as the latter disliked the influence of his master Isfarayini; in 705 (1305) the two reconciled, and Öljaitü built a college for him at the Sultaniyya camp.
  2. 1305–1310Semnan · Semnan ProvinceAfter the 1305 reconciliation, Simnani continued writing works such as the Divine Gateways, perfecting his seven-layer mystical system of 'light colors' and latā'if. When Öljaitü turned to Shi'ism in 710 (1310), he openly voiced criticism at court, maintaining a Sunni-Sufi stance and continuing contacts with the Kubrawi tradition in Baghdad, laying the intellectual foundation for later disciples such as Ali Hamadani.

Sources