Struggling for a Framework: Prolegomena to the study of the Libyan 'Isāwiyya

AbstractAs a consequence of the importance of the Sanūsiyya in Libyan history the literature on Sufism has shown a scarce curiosity for other Libyan brotherhoods. One of the reasons for this is the fact that, being characterised by a lack of central authority, these orders were considered unorganised entities that could not sustain the comparison with the Sanūsiyya. The article problematises this view by concentrating on the 'Isāwiyya, a Libyan brotherhood constituted by local leaders who do not recognise a common authority. In particular, the paper heavily relies on the recent re-conceptualisation of the idea of ‘Sufi order’ put forward by Rachida Chi, who suggests that Sufi brotherhoods could be best understood as ensembles of different local patronal rerlationships. The article discusses the weaknesses and strenghts of Chih's framework in an attempt to propose a set of preliminary conclusions for the study of the Libyan 'Isāwiyya.