"Sacred Feudalism"?, The Economic Structure and Organization of the Khalidi Naqshbandi Sufi Order in Sunni Kurdish Regions of Iran

The Naqshbandi Sufi order, as an influential religious movement, has had a profound impact on the cultural, social, political, and economic dimensions of Sunni Kurdish regions in Iran. Some scholars have viewed Sufism as a factor contributing to societal backwardness, while others, such as Yavuz in Turkey, have considered it a driver of economic development.



This study employs content analysis and examines key documents and texts of the Naqshbandi order, along with in-depth interviews with Sheikhs, Khalifas, and followers (murids) . It aims to analyze the theories of scholars like Ibn Khaldun, Weber, Turner, and van Bruinessen regarding Sufism and to investigate the economic organization of the Khalidi Naqshbandi order in Kurdistan.

. Based on this premise, the researchers sought to examine this issue more deeply.



Within the structure of the order, the Sheikh or Qutb is a sacred guide whose followers are perpetually under his authority; they cannot undertake any action without his consent. The benefit of the Sheikh for the murids is solely spiritual and otherworldly, whereas the murids provide substantial material benefits for the Sheikhs. The murids essentially serve as a unpaid labor force, expected to work on the Sheikh's lands with love and without objection, with the entire produce belonging to the Khanqah and the Sheikh.



Although the Naqshbandi order was initially based on non-hereditary spiritual authority, the role of Murshid (guide) eventually became a familial and hereditary matter. "Sacred Feudalism" is the overarching concept or conclusion derived for this economic organization.