The Divan of Shah Ismail: From Dār al-Irshad of Ardabil to Dār al-Hikma of Albania, by Seyed Javad Miri

Description

In the history of Iran, Shah Ismail looms large. As the founder of the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1732), his reign marked the beginning of modern Iran, as it unified the lands of ancient Persia under native rule for the first time since the Arab conquests in the 7th century. Shah Ismail also declared Twelver Shi’ism as the official religion of the Safavid state, further cementing its identity. As the ruler of Shi’i Iran, Shah Ismail became a prolific poet, writing under the pen name “Katai.” In Divan of Shah Ismail: From Dār al-Irshad of Ardabil to Dār al-Hikma of Albania, Seyed Javad Miri engages with various aspects of Shah Ismail’s thought as a Sufi master, especially as his work relates to other forms of mystical thought. The central goal of the book is to bring the intellectual contributions of Shah Ismail into dialogue with global forms of Sufism and Gnosticism, both understood as important realms of human knowledge. Last, the author argues that the intellectual significance of Shah Ismail is thoroughly understudied. This reality calls for an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the work and significance of Shah Ismail.

SEYED JAVAD MIRI is a Swedish-Iranian sociologist, public intellectual, and professor of sociology at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies in Tehran, Iran. He is known for his expertise on social theory and Islamic and critical thinkers. He has published over 100 books in English, Persian, and Swedish.

Paperback. 268 Pages

Published: June 2026

ISBN: 978-1-971333-05-2

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