Kifayat al-murid bу Ilyas al- Tsudaqari as а Monument оn the History of Sufism in Dagestan

Abstract

The article proposes а textual analysis of two copies of а Sufi manuscript Kifayat al-murid composed bу the Dagestani theologian Ilyas al-Tsudaqari in the Kumyk language in Агаbiс script. Both manuscripts are kept now in а private Dagestani collection. The first part of the analyzed work concerns basic concepts of the Islamic creed. The second part of Kifayat al-murid discusses а number of Shari'a ritual and legal norms whose knowledge the author considers а precondition to those who are initiated in the tariqa teaching. The last third part deals with issues of Sufi ethics and ritual practices proper to the brotherhood Naqshbandiyya such as repentance rules, initiation of adepts into the brotherhood, techniques of individual and collective dhikr.