Shi‘ism, Sufism and Gnosticism1Dr. Hajj Nour Ali Tabandeh“My Lord! Expand my breast for me, and make easy for me my work, and loosen theknot of my tongue that they may understand my speech.”2Concerning Shi‘ism and Sufism—two words denoting the same realitycontemporary scholars, especially Westerners, have made many mistakes.