Batiniyyah

Batiniyyah

School of Islamic thought that interpreted religious texts exclusively on the basis of hidden rather than literal meanings. Such interpretation gained currency around the 8th century among esoteric Shi'ite sects, especially the schismatic Isma'iliyyah, who believed that beneath every obvious meaning lay a hidden, true meaning, which the imam was empowered to interpret. While influenced by speculative philosophy and theology, the Batiniyyah remained proponents of esoteric knowledge. Sunnite Muslims condemned the Batiniyyah as enemies of Islam for rejecting literal truth and producing confusion and controversy through their multiple textual readings.