The Sufis in Tbilisi city under David the Builder's rule (1089–1125)

Abstract

Georgian historiography provides exhaustive information about David the Builder, but after processing the document preserved in the National Archives of Georgia: "The [keeping] of the City of Tbilisi by King David the Builder and His Relations with Muslims," I present my analytical vision. The archive document states that David gladdened the hearts of the inhabitants of Tbilisi: he ordered the eristavs not to slaughter pigs with Muslims, to mint a coin with the inscription of God, his apostle and the caliph, and that Christians and Muslims sho­uld not go to the bath together. David, together with his son Dimitri, went to the main mosque on Fridays to listen to prayers and the read­ing of the Koran, gave a lot of money to help the "Katib" and "Moa­zin", built "Caravan Sarai" and houses for preachers, and appointed food for Sufis and poets. If any of them wanted to leave Tbilisi, he generously helped them, giving them a large sum of money for the road. David respected Muslims more than Muslim kings themselves (found – 1438, desc – 1, doc – 394).                                              

I will discuss the Sufis' origins in the Caucasus and their tariqa (arabic: طريقة ) in Tbilisi.