Nuqtavi
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The Nuqtavi (or Nuktawiyya) (Transliteration: Nuqtavī) (Arabic: نقطوية) movement was founded by Mahmoud Pasikhani (Arabic: محمود بسخاني) (Persian: محمود پسخاني) (Maḥmūd Pasikhānī) when he proclaimed himself the Mahdi in 1397. The group is an off-shoot of the Hurufi (Ḥurūfī) movement, from which Pasikanii was expelled for arrogance. The group first arose in Andjudan near Kashan an area known for its Nizari Isma'ilism. The group attempted to proclaim Shah Tahmasp as Mahdi after Pasikhani died.
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[edit] Doctrines
Mahmoud Pasikhani never married and encouraged celibacy among his followers saying that the celibate have reached the rank of wāḥid, which has the numerical value of nineteen. The Nuqtavis placed an exceptionally heavy emphasis on the number nineteen. The Nuqtavis advanced a cyclical view of time, which is reminiscent of the Isma'ilis.[1] The Nuqtavis held that the total length of the earth's existence is 64,000 years and that this is divided into four periods of 16,000 years and these in turn are subdivided into two sections of 8,000 years, one an Arab epoch and the other a Persian epoch.[1]
[edit] Intellectual influences
The Nuqtavis owe most of their doctrines to the ḥurūfis. Most obviously the personal link between Mahmoud Pasikhani and Fazlallah Astarabadi (Fażallah Astarabādī: d.1394, the founder of the Ḥurūfī movement). The notable influences were the obsession with the numerical and phonemic meanings of the letters of the Persian-Arabic alphabet. Likewise Fazlallah Astarabadi had proclaimed himself Mahdi, as well as Jesus returned. Like many of the Muslim slpinter groups in Iran, the Hurufis believed that Astarabadi's Javedan-nama abrogated previous revelation (ie the Qur'an).
[edit] Modern influences
The Nuqtavis have resurfaced in the 17th and 19th centuries. The contemporary influence can be found in the writings of 'Alĩ Muḥammad Shirāzi (علي بن محمد رضا الشيرازي) , known as the Bab. 'Alĩ Muḥammad Nāżim al-Shari'a (عليّ محمّد ناظم الشريعة) claims that the Bab was taught the Nuqtavi doctrines while imprisoned in Maku and that he incorporated them directly into his Bayan ( Bayān).[1]
In his Arabic Bayan the Bab uses the word waḥid (واحد)to denote chapter. This is not standard procedure in Arabic texts, the standard term for chapter is bāb (باب), qasm (قسم) or faṣl (فصل). The term waḥid as used by the Bab is employed to connote the number nineteen as used by the Nuqtavis. The Bab is persistent in his use of the number nineteen. Every Waḥid contains nineteen ābwāb (ابواب), and he uses nineteen as the amount of gold to be used in a dowry, the number of months into which the year is to be divided, and the amount of days for separation from one's wife.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Hamid Algar: Nuqtavi, Encyclopedia of Islam, 1994, p.114-117
- Marshall G. Hodgson: The Venture of Islam, Vols. I and II
- Algar, Hamid (NA), "Horoufism", The Encyclopedia Iranica NA: 1-15
