Exploring the Interface between Politics and Sufis Islam in Pakistan

Abstract

This article examines the interface between politics and Sufi Islam in Pakistan and its impact on the state and society. There is no exaggeration in asserting that Pakistan has one of the most influential Sufi traditions in the entire Muslim world. There is a long history behind the influence of Sufi Islam in Pakistan. This article traces the interaction between politics and Sufi Islam to the 11th century, when the Seljuk kings decided to patronise Khanaqahs (Sufi abodes) and seminaries—to make the institutions dependent on the political order. The Sultans of the Delhi Sultanate further solidified the bond between Sufi saints and rulers, as they needed the support of Sufi saints in their competition for ascendancy with local, non-Muslim chieftains. The Mughals had a different kind of relationship with Sufi saints. The British Empire used Sufi saints and sajjada nashins (custodians of shrines) to act as intermediaries between the government and people—to consolidate their power in the subcontinent—especially in Sindh and Punjab. The British Empire left its structure of power and policies—to deal with peers—for Pakistan. Every Pakistani ruler—from Ayub Khan to Imran Khan—has had links with pirs and sajjada nashins. Over the course of time, the traditional, peaceful, and tolerant Barelvi Islam got radicalised. The government had to ban its political wing, namely, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), in 2025—for its involvement in violent protests. This article aims to unpack how the interface between politics and Sufism plays out in Pakistan and how it affects politics, religion, and society. This study is mainly based on the available secondary literature on the history of politics and Sufism in the subcontinent and the dynamic interaction between Sufi Islam and Pakistan.