Pir
پیر
pīr
✨Ismaili Terms
Spiritual teacher or elder; important missionaries in South Asian Ismaili tradition.
Full Definition
Pir is a Persian word meaning elder or spiritual teacher. In the Nizari Ismaili tradition, particularly in South Asia, pirs were important religious teachers and missionaries who spread Ismaili teachings. Many ginans are attributed to these pirs. The term also denotes spiritual guides in Sufi traditions.