A Critical Edition of Tashviq Al-Salikin (the Encouragements of the Wayfarers) by Muhammad Taqi Majlesi

Abstract

Mulla Muhammad Taqi Majlesi(d.1070),the father of the famous Allamah Majlesi, was one of the great Shiite ulamas (jurisprudents) in the Safavid period. In addition to his works in Shiite jurisprudence, he wrote some books on Sufism. One of his important Sufi writings is a treatise called Tashviq al-Salikin. Among the most important topics of this treatise is a description of the ways of thejourney on the path to God and proves that the chain of initiation of the Sufi sheikhs goes back to the Imams. The author introduces Sufi rules and manners and shows how they are based on the Imams' way of life. Majlesi believes that Sufism is the reality of Shiism and they are essentially the same. In this paper I introduce the three existing manuscripts of this treatise and my critical edition of it.