The Intellectual Life of Manicheans" in Early Islamic Centuries

The ancient Iranian prophet, Manese, rose in the early days of the establishment of the Sassanid Empire. By mixing the customs and rituals of various religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism, it easily managed to approach the different nations in every region around Iran and gather a large number of following. Through intense opposition by the Zoroastrian magi, however, Manese was finally defeated and killed; an incident which resulted in Manichaeism’s isolation. Nevertheless, following Islam’s introduction into Iran, a new opportunity arose for Manichean activities. The open ideological and political atmosphere of the first two centuries (A.H.L.), in particular in the early Abbasid period, new conditions created new opportunities for the familiarization and intimacy of the followers of Manese with Islam and its various branches ultimately causing the influence of Manichaeism and its precepts on different Islamic sects and groups. This paper studies and reviews “the intellectual life of Manicheans” in the Islamic era and its influence on such Islamic sects as the Mu‘tazilah and the Sufis.