An Investigation of Mystical Experiences in Abhar al-Asheghin based on Verbs: A Functionalist Approach

In functional grammar, it is assumed that patterns of experience are represented in language in the form of processes and via ideational metafunction. Accordingly, we can gain knowledge about the experiences, ideas and internal world of the writer by exploring various kinds of processes in the verbs and determining their frequency in literary text. The grammatical potential for representing experience in language is provided by transitivity system which is the mechanism for expressing the ideational and experiential metafunction in language. This paper investigates the mystical experiences of Ruzbahan in Abhar al-Asheghin according to functional approach to the verbs. The experiences are analyzed based on transitivity system in terms of Halliday's functional grammar. Considering the results of this study, the experiencer is active and doer in most of the cases. Most non-relational verbs are transitive and denote past tense. More than 70% of relational verbs occur at present time and more than 90% of these experiences which are expressed via indicative mood are absolutive. Thus, regarding the method of narration, it can be argued that the love experiences expressed in Abhar al-Asheghin have just occurred before writing. Reading the narrative, the mind is separated from natural time and place and, with narrator, connects to the moment of encounter and seeing.