Analytical Investigation of the Contexts and the Conditions of the Presence of the Naqtavis in Kashan during the Safavid Era and Their Fate

Abstract

The city of Kashan in the Safavid period has great political and religious importance. One of the characteristics of the city of Kashan in this period is the spread of some religious trends there. Naqtavis was one of these trends, and this research aims to find the way they appeared and developed their activities in Kashan. Moreover, the study investigates which groups in this city were attracted to Naqtavis and what happened to them in the end. After examining various library sources in a comparative-analytical way, it was concluded that the background of Kashan city in Shiism and the presence of some Ismaili leaders and their intellectual links with the Naqtavis created a suitable ground for the promotion of this thought in Kashan, and Sufis and some of the literary figures were among the most famous people who joined this movement. As a religious movement, the activity of the Naqtavis in Kashan was followed by the opposition of the religious scholars, and as a political movement, it provoked the strong opposition of the Safavid governors, and finally, these two factors caused the severe suppression of the Naqtavis in the city of Kashan.

Keywords

• kashan
• naqtavis
• safavid era
• shiite sects
• sufism