Sufism, Counter-Extremism and Social Resilience: Comparative Evidence from Pakistan Iran and the Caucasus
Keywords:
Rumi, Sufism, Social Resilience, Counter-Extremism, Pakistan-Iran-Caucasus, Mystical PoetryAbstract
Mawlana Jalal al‑Din Rumi stands as a towering figure whose mystical teachings and poetic oeuvre continue to resonate across Iran, Pakistan and the Caucasus, forming a shared spiritual substrate. In Iran, Rumi is venerated not only as a classical Persian poet and Sufi master but as an emblem of national and religious heritage, deeply embedded in the cultural imagination. In Pakistan, his legacy has been woven into the fabric of Sufi traditions such as Qawwali and his message of divine love and tolerance is frequently invoked as a bulwark against radical ideologies. In the Caucasus, particularly in Azerbaijan and parts of the North Caucasus, Rumi’s philosophical and mystical heritage has been reinterpreted through local Sufi orders, contributing to intercultural cohesion and social resilience. This paper investigates the question: How does Rumi’s Sufi legacy function as a counter‑extremism resource and a component of social resilience in Iran, Pakistan and the Caucasus? Theoretical framing draws on soft‑power theory, social resilience theory and constructivist international relations. A literature review (2000-2025) reveals scholarship on Sufism’s role in community building in Pakistan, diplomacy and counter‑extremism, including Mehmood Khan (2025) on Sufi diplomacy and Zawar & Riaz (2024) on community cohesion. The findings suggest that Rumi-inspired Sufi institutions and networks contribute significantly to social cohesion, tolerance and non‑violent spiritual discourse, but they also face challenges from extremist narratives and state instrumentalisation. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that Rumi’s legacy remains a living resource for moderate Islam and social resilience in these regions.
References
Akbar, M. (2023). Religious extremism and community resilience. Journal of Peace & Islamic Studies, 45, 138-157. Retrieved from https://jpis.pu.edu.pk/45/article/view/138
Akhtar, H. M. (d. 2013). Maʿarif-e‑Masnavi (and Faizan-e-Muḥabbat). (Work on Rumi’s Masnavi by Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar)
Aliyeva, A., & Aliyeva, A. (2025). The comparative philosophy of life of Jalal al‑Din Rumi and Seyyid Yahya Bakuvi: Its roots and contemporary relevance. Scientific Mysticism and Literature Journal, 3(1), 54-62.
Al‑Salihat Journal. (2024). Zawar, M., & Riaz, M. Sufism and Community Building in Pakistan: A Socio‑Cultural Analysis. Al‑Salihat Journal of Women, Society and Religion, 3(1). Retrieved from https://al-salihat.com/index.php/Journal/article/download/46/43/113
Angha, N. (n.d.). Biographical and organizational profile. International Association of Sufism. Retrieved from https://ias.org/profile/nahid-angha/
Aziz, H. (2015). Rumi’s influence on South Asian Sufism. In Rumi Forum (Interview).
Borisova, (Sufi revival history) “actually use text from Islam” v Prostranstve-Vremeni Azerbajdhana. (2023).
Brookings Institution. (2016). Positive branding and soft power: The promotion of Sufism in the war on terror. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/articles/positive-branding-and-soft-power-the-promotion-of-sufism-in-the-war-on-terror/
Counter Extremism Project. (2025). Pakistan: Extremism and Terrorism. Retrieved from https://www.counterextremism.com/countries/pakistan-extremism-and-terrorism
Daily Times. (2018). Countering extremism with Sufism. Retrieved from https://dailytimes.com.pk/390167/countering-extremism-with-sufism/
Dawn.com. (2018, January 26). Sufism can counter extremist tendencies: Egyptian scholar. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1385289
European Proceedings. (2021). Iran And Russia’s Role in Regional Social Development in Central Eurasia. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 2021.
Hashmi, A. S., Hamid, M., & Hashmi, S. M. A. (2022). Youth, counter violent extremism and (social) media: A case of Pakistan. NUST Journal of International Peace & Stability, 5(1), 61-72. https://doi.org/10.37540/njips.v5i1.122
Iskandar, R., Waseemullah, & Ullah, S. (2023). Sufism in Abkhazia: An Examination of Mystical Beliefs and Practices in a Post‑Soviet Context. Insights of Pakistan, Iran and the Caucasus Studies.
Khan, A. (2013). Pakistan and the narratives of extremism. Strategic Report 327. U.S. Institute of Peace.
Khazar University. (2024, December 12-13). IX International Rumi Symposium. Khazar University.
Kilicheva, K. (2023). Sufi and philosophical heritage of Jalaluddin Rumi in contemporary Turkic Eurasian contexts. International Journal of Humanities, Literature & Arts. (Based on Karomat Kilicheva’s research).
Mehdi, M., Hussain, B., & Abdullah, M. (2021). An analysis of ‘Rumi phenomenon’: A critique on foreign English writers. Pakistan Journal of Languages and Translation Studies, 9(1), 57-70.
Mehmood Khan, A. (2025). The Role of Sufism in Countering Extremism: A Diplomatic Perspective. Al Khadim Research Journal of Islamic Culture and Civilization, 6(1).
Mohammadi, S. B. (2015). The concept of projection in Rumi’s works and its social implications. Islamic Perspective, 13(1), 1‑13.
Mysticism Studies. (2022). Self‑Renunciation, Book‑Burning and Fanaʾ in Early Iranian Sufism. Mysticism Studies, 35, 45-68. (translated from Magiran sources)
Nabati, S. A. (via NEU Journal) on dervish life and Rumi influence. Scientific Mysticism & Literature Journal. (2024). Derived from: NEU Journal article.
Nasr, S. H. (2007). The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity. HarperOne. (On perennial wisdom, Sufism and Rumi)
Noreen, S., & Subhan, B. (2025). Rumi’s spiritual legacy in Iqbal’s philosophy and poetics. Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 13(1), 412-414. https://doi.org/10.52131/pjhss.2025.v13i1.2729
Pashazade, A. G. (n.d.). Biographical record. (Sheikh-ul-Islam of the Caucasus)
Rabbani, M. A. (2019). عرفان، پل مشترک فرهنگی ایران و آسیای جنوب شرقی [Mysticism, the Cultural Bridge Between Iran and Southeast Asia]. Iranian Studies - LAIS. Retrieved from https://iranianstudies.org/fa/1398/07/30
Rahbari Ghazani, R., & Davoodi Kahaki, R. (2025). Rumi’s mystical epistemology through Sayyid Ḥaydar Amuli’s framework. Islam and the Contemporary World, 2(1), 1-30.
Republic of Azerbaijan. (2025). Azerbaijani Literature: Sufi Figures in National History. (Official publication).
Rumi Forum. (n.d.). Hasan Aziz on Rumi’s influence on South Asian Sufism. Retrieved from https://rumiforum.org/rumis-influence-on-south-asian-sufism-with-dr-hasan-aziz/
Rzayeva, N. (2025). Rumi’s Legacy in Azerbaijani Literary Scholarship: A Historical and Analytical Study. Akademik Tarih ve Düşünce Dergisi, 12(5), 846-856.
Sa h i , T. A . (2024). Ibn ʿArabi in contemporary Iran; some currents and debates. Journal of the Institute for Sufi Studies, 3(1), 3-19.
Saeed, B., Hasan, S. S., & Ajmal, M. A. (2021). Impact of Sufism on Pakistani society in the 21st century: A grounded theory. Journal of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences, 2(1), 38-49.
Safavi, S. (n.d.). تحلیل هرمنوتیکی مقدمه دفتر ششم مثنوی معنوی مولانا [Hermeneutic Analysis of the Preface of Book Six of Rumi’s Masnavi]. London Academy of Iranian Studies (LAIS). Retrieved from LAIS website.
Saifullah, K. (2016). Discourse analysis: Bulleh Shah’s and Rumi’s poetry. Pakistan Journal of Languages & Linguistics, 2(1), 1-17.
Sarwar, T., & colleagues. (2023). Exploring sacred Sufi practices for spiritual, mental and physical healing at the Sufi Barkat Ali Shrine in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Russian Law Journal, XI(1), 492-512.
Shabestari, M. (13th century; revived). Gulshan‑e Raz. (Revival in modern Iranian scholarship, see Journal of Iranian Mysticism Studies, 2021).
Soroush, A. (n.d.). Religious intellectualism and the renewal of Sufi metaphysics (on Rumi’s epistemology).
Zandi, S. M. (2024). Ras̤afi and the tradition of Sufi symbol‑language: A new reading in modern Iran. Journal of Comparative Religions and Mysticism, 12(2), 89-108.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Insights of Mystical, Spiritual and Theological Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
