مجله ادبیات عرفانی
پیاپی 6 (بهار و تابستان 1391)

The ‘reversal of values,’ as an appealing features, is considered as one of the basis for many stories and ideas in Mathnawī of Rūmī. This article, firstly, introduces some instances of value reversal such as the preference of death to life, madness to wisdom, servant to lord and anger to kindness. The second part discusses the reasons behind these preferences which, among others, include the reversal of God’s laws- as opposed to those of humans-, the interior and the exterior, and the basic views of death and annihilation. According to Rūmī, what hinders our understanding of these reversals is ‘existence.’ Existence is comprehended through reason. Therefore, to perceive the reversals one should ignore reason. Rūmī’s thoughts indicate the contrast between truth and appearance. Thus, for instance, existence is concealed in non-existence. This peculiar notion could be perceived only by grasping the reversing play of love.

The present article majorly deals with the relation of manifestation with behavioral norms of the mystics. It intends to show how, in the history of Sufism, the manifestation of the Beauty has brought such qualities as grace, goodness, and mercy of God into the attention of the lover mystic, making him spiritually intoxicated and giving rise to speeches and behaviors that suggest abandoning religious obligations. On the other hand, the manifestation of Glory has brought such qualities as overwhelming power, wrath, and dominion of God into the attention of the mystic, keeping him in a state of constant self-consciousness and leading him to observance of the norms and concentration on religious obligations and devotions. The first group of mystics is called Ashāb al-Sukr and the second Ashāb al- Sahw. Ashāb al- Sukr have been accused of abandoning religious obligations and at the same time known as men of abundant worship and devotion. This article, additionally, discusses the causes of this contradiction. Presenting certain arguments and evidence, the author establishes the point that there is no real contradiction. The theoretical grounds of the manifestation of the Beauty and such issues as the Unity of Being and the station of union and annihilation have given rise to different perceptions. However, in practice, there has necessarily been no matter of abandoning religious obligations.

The application of linguistic theories to the analysis of literary texts is fruitful to the achievement of new insights and aspects in both areas of study. Therefore, in this inquiry the ‘Speech Act Theory’ is applied to the study of a well-known Persian literary style called ‘shath’ (ecstatic expression). Firstly, it explains Speech Act Theory’s advancement and principles. Then, it provides a review of its application to the analysis of literary texts. Later, it classifies forty shaths selected from Sharh-i Shathiyyāt (Commentary of Ecstatic Sayings) by Rūzbihān Baqlī Shīrazī by means of Searl’s Pentagon Theory. To the best of my knowledge, this inquiry is the first attempt in the application of Speech Act Theory to the study of a Persian literary text.

Lacan, from his post-structural standpoint, states that the ‘subject’ steps into the “symbolic level” after passing through the “fantastic level”. It is the phase when the child’s illusion is broken down and consequently the child suffers from the sensation of loss. Children consistently desire to return to the world of childhood in the fantastic level and try to keep alive its remembrance by its attribution to small objects. Maulanā’s beliefs about the growth of the human’s soul may be discussed from Lacan’s theoretical viewpoint. Maulanā declares that when the soul is separated from its original source, by passing through the fantastic level, steps into the world of the symbolic level. Initially, it entertains itself with the worldly belongings and language, while, later, it perceives how far is from its origin. As a result, it tries to approach its origin by means of the small objects and the signs of the primary world such as the saints, the manifestation of God, the heart and mystical dance. Therefore, by this inquiry I intend firstly to provide a brief explanation of Lacan’s psychological development and then to consider Maulanā’s point of view in this regard.

Epiphany (tajallī) is one of the most important concepts in Islamic mysticism and Ibn Arabī is one of the most outstanding figures in this realm. He is known as the founder of ‘theoretical mysticism.’ Therefore, in this inquiry diverse types of epiphany from Ibn Arabī’s viewpoint are discussed and his various interpretations on it are considered. Ibn Arabī acknowledged two kinds of epiphany, ‘the most sacred effusion’ and ‘hieratic effusion’ that are also named as ‘theophany of the Essence’ and ‘theophany of Divine name’. Moreover, in this paper other kinds of epiphany from Ibn Arabī’s point of view are also considered such as: theophanies of Jalāl (majesty) and Jamāl (the Beauty), Qurb (approximation) and Buʻd (remoteness), Ḍātī (the Essence) and Asmā’ī (Divine names), Qurb (approximation) and Shahādat (saintly effusion), Jenn (demon), bashar (human), fereshteh (angel) and inkār (denial).

The Unity of Being (Wahdat-e Wūjūd) is a mystic-philosophical theory attributed to Sufism. The outstanding figures of Islamic mysticism such as Bāyazīd Bastāmī, Hallāj and Ibn Arabī deeply addressed this concept. Mīkha’īl Naīma, the prominent Arab scholar dedicated a considerable part of his writings to this concept. Hams al-Jufon is Naīma’s sole poetical work that deals with the mystical concept of the Unity of Being- the majority of his works were written in prose. In this book of poetry, Naīma, like a mystic poet, seeks the source of human essence. He believes that the human’s soul is part of God’s spirit. He holds the belief that the Essence of the Divine, the existence and the creatures form an entirety of Beauty called ‘God’. Therefore, this paper considers the philosophic- theosophical concept of Unity of Being in the poetical work of the Arab poet Mīkha’īl Naīma.

In the last fifty years, Furūzanfar’s correction of Kulliyāt Shams has been considered as the most essential attempt at organizing numerous ghazals attributed to Maulānā in the Indian and Iranian publications. At the occasion of the eight hundred birth anniversary of Maulānā in the year 2007, Tufigh Subhani’s attempts led to the simultaneous publication of a facsimile and a type print of Konya’s Manuscript (768-770). It was one of the manuscripts used by Furūzanfar in the correction of Kulliyāt Shams. This publication was an important step in Maulānā studies by providing a comprehensive original text of Kulliyāt Shams of second half of the eight century. However, it was far from competing with Furūzanfar’s critical correction. This paper aims at comparing and contrasting the first five hundred ghazals of Subhani’s facsimile and type versions with those in Furūzanfar’s correction. It is done by considering diverse readings of them and their various records. The paper also suggests a deductive correction of the verses.