The Cosmic Hierarchy in Sufism
In Sufism, the Abdal are placed in a cosmic hierarchy with other orders of saintly individuals. Two descriptions of the hierarchy come from notable Sufis. One comes from the 12th Century persian Ali Hujwiri. In his divine court, there are three hundred akhyār (“excellent ones”), forty abdāl (“substitutes”), seven abrār (“piously devoted ones”), four awtād (“pillars”) three nuqabā (“leaders”) and one qutb.
The second version is from Ibn Arabī, who lived in Moorish Spain. It has a more exclusive structure. There are eight nujabā (“nobles”), twelve nuqabā, seven abdāl, four awtād, two a’immah (“guides”), and the qutb.
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