Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili's School of Thought

We need to do further scientific and historical research if we want to know the different aspects of the life of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili, the great grandfather of Safavid kings. There have been various and sometimes contradictory discussions and debates about his school of thought and siyadat (being one of the descendents of the Holy Prophet). These two issues led some researchers to show strange hostility towards the Sheikh and the Safavids, and some other researchers to hold him in deep respect (by considering his high status and nearness to Imams). It is particularly important to investigate whether he followed the Shiʿa or Sunni school of thought in our study of the Safavid kings, because it was they who officially recognized Twelver Shiism as the religion of Iran. The present paper tries to answer these questions providing a scientific and historical research based on evidence and findings of historiography.