مجله پژوهش های ادب عرفانی (گوهر گویا)
سال هشتم شماره 1 (پیاپی 26، بهار و تابستان 1393)

In mystical texts، like other texts، we sometimes face with a word or phrase whose proper meaning cannot be found out via consulting dictionaries. Also، correctors of such texts are sometimes at their wits end in reading the text and proposing the correct form of a word، and analogical correction on the basis of syntactic and rhetorical conventions is useless too. Considering the social origin of mystics and general addressees of mystical books and essays، this article tries to refer to local languages، dialects and costumes in order to solve the difficulties in understanding and correcting mystical texts. On the basis of this method، a few words and expressions are corrected and explained in the works of Attar Nishaburi and Molavi Balkhi as well as several books such as Kashf Al-Mahjoub، Ronagh al-Majalis، Asrar al-Tawhid and Sepahsalar treatise. In the first section of the article، the archaic meanings and usages of the words and idioms “Pendam” in Sepahsalar treatise، “Nafared” in Fih-e Mafih، “Kamal” in a verse of Elahi Nameh and “Jaft” in a verse by Molavi are explained. In the second section، the authenticity of recordings of old manuscripts like “Sabr” in Kashf al-Mahjoub، “Sabij Kufteh”، “Jarkard” and “Tabdani” in the selection of Ronagh al-Majalis are explained. In the third section، regarding the importance of dialectal information in analogical correction، an expression of Asrar al-Tawhid is corrected which has no correct form in any existent copy of this book.

Dialectic is one of the expressive types of analogy in logic which is used in the form of question and response between two persons. Considering the definition of dialectic and type of dialectic discussions in Kashf al-Mahjoub، the word “debate-like” which has a semantic scope between debate and dialectic was chosen in this article. Then، all debate-likes were analyzed under two general categories of “semantic” and “morphological” analysis. In the first section، as a result of semantic analysis، the most important intellectual and ideological preoccupations of sufis and religious scholars were obtained. In the second section، all debate-likes were described regarding their general form and morphology، and with such description the three main sides of debate-likes’ triangle was discovered including: addressee، technique and form. These three elements draw the structure and dominant geometry of Hojviri’s debate-likes in an interconnected relationship. Moreover، discourse analytic and sociological issues of the work have been considered as well.

Ibn Fairz is one of the greatest composers of Sufi poems in Arab literature; on the other hand، Molana is the master of love and mysticism in Persian literature and the most beautiful and important mystical themes are found in their poems. The worldview and attitude of the two great poets have notable similarities and in many mystical issues they are completely similar. The foundation of their view is “the unity of God” and its understanding، and they should be considered as believers in the unity of understanding. Unity of God is one of the most important issues which has been under discussion in mysticism for a long time. This idea has a special manifestation in the poems of Molana and Ibn Fariz. The two great mystics have achieved the unity of God via loving epiphany and have expressed it via symbolic and allegorical language. Though each of them had a different manner of Progression، they have achieved the same result، i. e. reaching the unity through love، epiphany، annihilation etc. Accordingly، the issue of “unity” and the quality of achieving it is explored and compared in the thought and poems of the two mystic-poets.

From its genesis، Islamic mysticism has relied upon asceticism and withdrawal from the world and its inhabitants، and there are numerous words by the great figures of such manner in line with this. World-escaping and retiring from the people is one of the prevailing ideas in this intellectual school which has been fashioned based on the actions and claims of its followers. However، numerous evidence contradicting such belief are seen while investigating the prominent mystical texts and contemplating on the life of senior mystics. Such evidence reveals clearly their social participation in various scenes of social life. This study sheds light on some corners of Sufis’ words and actions in society based on Persian mystical prose texts of fifth and sixth centuries. It is tried to analyze and investigate the grounds of their interaction with others including political، cultural، economic interactions and، more important than this، their motivations for doing such social activities since they are the result of different Quranic، religious and other kinds of motivations. The results of this study show that Quranic and religious motivations are the main and most important reasons of Sufis’ interactions with others.

The discourses present in a historical period are connected to and influence on each other. Perfect knowledge of a discourse is dependent on referring to other discourses. Theology and mysticism are two powerful discourses in the history of Islamic thought. This article aims to explore theological sources of a part of Kashf al-Mahjoub by Ali Ibn ‘Osman Hojviri. As is known، the formation of theology was prior to Sufism. Some of the sufis themselves were familiar with theological issues. Thus، the etymology of several terms and thoughts of Sufism should be sought in theology. Following such an attitude، the authors of this article have chosen one of the important texts of Sufism of fifth century. In a section of his book named “unveiling the first veil in the knowledge of God”، Hojviri enumerates the following five sentences as the cause of God’s knowledge: 1) knowledge of God is intellectual، 2) knowledge of God is argumentative، 3) soundness of intellect and seeing the sign lead to the knowledge of God، not cause it، 4) inspiration is the cause of God’s knowledge، 5) knowledge of God is necessary. Each of these ideas، except the fourth one، reflects a theological attitude. Hojviri refutes all of these ideas and consider his own as sound and true.

Mohei al-Din Ibn Arabi، the great prominent figure of Islamic mysticism، have always paid attention to religious teachings in his works deeply. Based on the teachings of intellectual mysticism، he has interpreted and analyzed the verses of Quran and prophetic hadiths with an esoteric attitude and، in line with this، has tried to strengthen the foundation of his system of thinking via a new reading of religious teachings. In his lasting work، Fosus al-Hikam، analyzing the states of twenty seven prophets، he has interpreted the religious teachings about each prophet and has achieved unraveling the prophethood’s mysteries of each prophet. Throughout this lasting work، he has offered vary novel interpretations of the verses related to Noah (PBUH) but his complicated and convulsive language in this part have confused most commentators to the extent that، in search of reconstructing his Quranic ideas in later works، his findings in this part have been neglected in all and، in the researches done about the Noah section، simply the teaching of simile and transcendence has been mentioned. The present research aims to reconstruct straightforwardly his interpretations in the Noah verses، on the one hand، and point to its theological and interpretive flaws، on the other.

Psychotherapy is a scientific and systematic procedure which is used today for helping those whose life has been disrupted by mental problems. There are different methods by means of which mental capacity of people can be enhanced in order to conquer their mental-psychological problems and enjoy their life more. In their works، scholars in the field of psychology have proposed many theories and methods of psychotherapy. Interestingly enough، a great figure like Molavi have used many prevailing and contemporary methods of psychotherapy in Mathnavi many centuries age with a unique manner. What distinguishes him from other psychotherapists is the choosing of an artistic and intangible method for offering therapeutic strategies to the reader. In addition to deep spiritual and mystical content and various other functions، Mathnavi’s valuable verses can be considered from the perspective of psychotherapy and be a good substitute for different kinds of psychotherapy. The totality of Mathnavi as a poetic work and the content of its poems can affect the reader from different dimensions and guides him to calmness in the predicaments of life. While investigating seven known methods of psychotherapy like verse-therapy، mystical psychotherapy (love-therapy)، the technique of dream، religion-therapy and its seven methods، reality-therapy، irony-therapy and meaning-therapy in Mathnavi، the referents and examples of each method in this valuable work is provided.