Khutbah al-Bayan and the Ecstatic Utterances of the Sufis (shaths)

"Khutbah al-Bayān" is a sermon ascribed to Imam Alī which consists of a group of rhythmical sentences which begin with the pronoun "I". It describes Imam Alī as a Perfect Man, who is ready to annihilate in God (fanā’). Since "Khutbah al-Bayān" is similar to the Sufi's ecstatic utterances (shaths), it has been welcomed by the followers of the esoteric sects of Islam, some groups of Shi‘ites and Sufis. On the other hand, there are some other Muslims, specially the opponents of the Sufis, who do not recognize in the originality and authority of this sermon. Therefore, there have been diverse viewpoints about "Khutbah al-Bayān" in the Muslim world. This essay begins with a bibliographical account of the "Khutbah al-Bayān" in accordance with typological divisions; it then, surveys the different versions of the sermon and finally deals with the history of the "Khutbah" and its relation with the shaths. In doing so, this essay tries to explain the multiple meanings of the shaths and observe the background of this concept in Sufism. Therefore the viewpoints of Rūzbihān Baqlī other of the exegetes of the "Khutbah" such as Mīrsharīf Nuqtawī, Dihdār Shīrāzī, ‘Abd al-Samad Hamadānī, Rāz Dhahabī and Mīrzā Qumī are mentioned. Finally, this essay comes to this conclusion that "Khutbah al-Bayān" could be treated as a shath.