The Spread of the Naqshbandi Tariqa from Central Asia to India and Asia Minor: Trade Routes, Political Conditions, and Religious Networks

During the fourteenth century, the Silk Road experienced a significant phase of revitalization, functioning not only as a major corridor for commercial exchange but also as a dynamic conduit for the transmission of religious ideas, cultural practices, and intellectual traditions. Within this context, the Naqshbandi order, which emerged in the fourteenth century in Bukhara, rapidly expanded its influence across Central Asia, India, and Asia Minor. The dissemination of Naqshbandi teachings was closely linked to the infrastructural and political stability provided by the Silk Road, particularly during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. This period was marked by the support of major political entities, including the Golden Horde, the empire of Amir Timur, and the Ottoman Empire, all of which had a vested interest in maintaining secure and efficient transcontinental networks. The article analyzes the key socio-political, economic, and cultural factors that facilitated the transregional spread of the Naqshbandi tariqa and examines the distinctive features of its adaptation within different local contexts. Particular attention is given to the role of the Silk Road as a structural and symbolic framework that enabled the diffusion of Sufi practices and networks. The study offers a critical reassessment of the interaction between trade routes and religious movements, contributing to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the historical expansion of Sufism.