The Decline of Kobrawiyyah in Central Asia

In the 6th to 8th centuries A.H./12th to 14th centuries C.E., many sufi orders appeared in the Muslim World, and in particular in Central Asia, the most important of which were Yasawiyyah, Kobrawiyyah and Naghshbandiyyah. Of these three orders, the Yasawiyyah and Kobrawiyyah had the opportunity to grow in Central Asia such that the latter turned into a major sufi order in the next centuries. The Kobrawiyyah had such a strong and prominent presence in social, political and economic domains that caused the Mongol Ilkhans to convert to Islam and thus create the opportunity for this religion to make a come back in Iran. The Kobrawiyyah, however, because of the prevailing political conditions and internal disputes gradually disintegrated into smaller groups and eventually declined all together. In this article, the writer presents the Kobrawiyyah to the reader, discusses their presence in Central Asia and investigates the causes of their ultimate demise.