The Image of Qosheyri in Asrar al-Towhid (Methodological and Content Analysis)

Writing mystical Maqameh (a type of short story with only one setting) is one of the most important branches of mysticism and history of the mystic literature to which not enough attention has been made so far. Exact and logical classification of three different types of Maqameh-writing and explanation of the status, the viewpoint, methods, motivations and goals of this important genre of mystic literature can help us know about the culture and literature of the past and present time. Also, analysis of characters who are the contemporaries of the same mystics recognized through these Maqamehs and the judgments made about their states can largely familiarize today’s readers with their viewpoint and criteria of their judgment and also clarifies the image and character of the authors. Parallel with this, using a methodological and content analysis, this paper attempts to study the character of AbolqassemQosheyri from the perspective of Mohammad ben MonavvarMihanei the famous Maqameh writer of the literature of mysticism in Asrar al-Towhid and to show the distance between the statements and stories told by Mohammad ben Monavvar in Qosheyri Chapter and the historical and real character of Qosheyri. It also shows the distinction between this viewpoint and the real character of the Iranian liberal mystic, AboosaeedAbolkheyr.