Rereading Ali Safaee Haeri’s Account of the Stages of Spiritual Wayfaring: A Comparison with the Teachings of Practical Mysticism

Stages of spiritual journeying have been the focus of attention in various mystical perspectives. Some contemporary scholars have also referred to these stages using various terms. This research employs the descriptive-analytic method to examine Ali Safaee Haeri’s account of the stages of spiritual wayfaring. It delineates a coherent chain of the stages of spiritual journeying based on his works and considers their corresponding elements within mystical doctrines. This study demonstrates that, according to Safaee, the stages of spiritual wayfaring begin with knowledge grounded in remembrance, contemplation, and reasoning, which facilitate the individual's inner emancipation from habits and biases, leading to the blossoming of love and faith in one’s heart. Love and faith subsequently translate into action, manifested in three dimensions: remembrance of God, obedience to God, and gratitude toward God. Finally, the wayfarer should cultivate humility by navigating through afflictions (ibtilāʾ), helplessness (iḍṭirār), and seeking recourse (iʿtiṣām). Each of these stages aligns with the teachings of practical mysticism, illustrating that Safaee’s perspective on spiritual wayfaring harmonizes with the teachings of practical mysticism and offers significant explanatory power.