Batiniyya () refers to groups that distinguish between an outer, exoteric ('' zāhir'') and an inner, esoteric ('' bāṭin'') meaning in Islamic scriptures.

Ismaili Batiniya

The term has been used in particular for an allegoristic type of scriptural interpretation developed among early Ismaili Shia groups, stressing the ''bāṭin'' meaning of texts. It has been retained by all branches of Isma'ilism and various

Druze The Druze ( ; , ' or ', , '), who Endonym and exonym, call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn (), are an Arabs, Arab Eastern esotericism, esoteric Religious denomination, religious group from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic ...

groups as well. The

Alawites Alawites () are an Arab ethnoreligious group who live primarily in the Levant region in West Asia and follow Alawism, a sect of Islam that splintered from early Shia as a ''ghulat'' branch during the ninth century. Alawites venerate Ali ...

practice a similar system of interpretation. ''Batiniyya'' is a common epithet used to designate Isma'ili Islam, which has been accepted by Ismai'lis themselves.

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

writers have used the term ''batiniyya'' polemically in reference to rejection of the evident meaning of scripture in favor of its ''bāṭin'' meaning. Al-Ghazali, a medieval Sunni theologian, used the term ''batiniyya'' pejoratively for the adherents of Isma'ilism. Some Shia writers have also used the term polemically.

Sufi Batinya

When the Islamic world of the Fatimid dynasty entered an Ismaili age in the 10th century, Batinya became less practiced. As Ismailism turned into political conflicts, the Ayubid Kurds began their the de-Ismailization of

Upper Mesopotamia Upper Mesopotamia constitutes the Upland and lowland, uplands and great outwash plain of northwestern Iraq, northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey, in the northern Middle East. Since the early Muslim conquests of the mid-7th century, the regio ...

and beyond, reversing the Fatimid forced Ismailization policies. The Kurdish core of the Ayubid empire itself reverted to Sufi Sunni Islam and appropriated the Batini Ismaili beliefs into Sufi Islam.

References

Islam-related slurs Ismailism Islamic branches {{Islam-stub

Ismaili Batiniya

Sufi Batinya

See also

References