Shyakh Aḥmad Sirhindī (d. 1624), the founder of the Mujaddadīya branch of the Naqshbandī order, is believed to be the initiator of the doctrine of Waḥdat al-Shuhūd (unity of witnessing) as opposed to Waḥdat al-Wujūd (unity of oneness) of al-Shaykh al-Akbar. However, despite the fact that it is hard to pinpoint an exact time as to when Waḥdat al-Shuhūd (or any other relevant idea) was originated, a number of scholars[1] ascertain that it was Qāḍī ʿAḍud al-Dīn Ījī (d. 756 or 760), the prominent metaphysician, mutakallim, jurist, and the poet of the eight century (a contemporary of Hafiz of Shiraz and the teacher of Saʿd al-Dīn Taftāzānī, d. ), who should be regarded as the founder of Waḥdat al-Shuhūd. Ījī was a contemporary of the famous Kubrawī Sufi, ʿAlāʾ u-Dawla Simnānī (d. 736), who also believed in Waḥdat al-Shuhūd and might have taken it from Ījī. Simnānī was the teacher of the renowned Iranian Sufi, Mīr Sayyid ʿAlī Hamidānī (d. 786), who played a significant role in bringing Sufism to Kashmir. In spite of being Simnānī’s student, Hamidānī was not a Waḥdat al-Shuhūdī Sufi, although Simnānī’s inclination to Waḥdat al-Shuhūd, as well as his opposition to Akbarīan mysticism is a well-established fact that needs no further investigation. His correspondences with his contemporary, ʿAbdul Razzāq Kāshānī (also Qāshānī, d. 735 H/ 1335?), shed light on his mystical taste.
Obviously, the idea of Waḥdat al-Shuhūd, like its counterpart Waḥdat al-Wujūd of ibn ʿArabī, was in circulation and was growing among Sufi silsilas (such as Suhrawardīya, Qādīrīya, and Chistī), with which Sirhindī had made some acquaintance and even progress before joining the Naqshbandī order. Given this, assigning the doctrine of Waḥdat al-Shuhūd to Sirhindī is not correct, although he might have upgraded it to a higher and more coherent level. Further research on Sirhindī (I myself have not read his writings yet), will prove the veracity of this analysis.
[1] - S.H.Nasr & M.Aminrazavi (eds.), Philosophical Theology in the Middle Ages and Beyond, An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, Vol. 3, (London & New York: I.B.Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, 2010), p.249.
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