پژوهشنامه ادیان
سال هفدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 33، بهار و تابستان 1402)

A religious tradition cannot be separated from the identification of faith through the intersubjective seeking of truth and salvation. By establishing a criterion for judging the attribution of people to that religion, this provision not only protects the theological message of religion and legitimizes it, but also distinguishes religious community members from others in the social sphere. Regarding the Abrahamic scriptures, how believers envision God has had an impact on both those who are concerned with salvation and the quality of their relationships with other people. As a result of this dialectic, Abrahamic monotheism has evolved different ideas about identity and salvation over time. To understand the conceptual worldview that governs the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur'an, this article examines the semantic field of identity and salvation using Izutsu's semantic method. We have also discussed how salvational approaches in the hermeneutics of Abrahamic scriptures, such as the reinterpretation of Abraham's spiritual heritage, have advanced.

 The connection between Islamic and Indian culture is undeniable. Meanwhile, Sufism and Sufi Tariqats have played a major role in creating such a relationship. The comparative researches indicate that there have been effects between Sufism and Indian religions and schools and there is the integration of some rituals and practices among Sufism and especially the Yoga school. Shattariyyah Tariqah in India, especially since the time of Sheikh Mohammad Ghowth-e Gwaliari, has had the most influence and integration with the practical exercises of Yoga. The present research, with an analytical and comparative study in a library method- with an emphasis on one of the most important works of Shattarian Tariqat and practical mysticism namely Jawaher-e Khamseh by Sheikh Mohammad Ghowth Gwaliari- while describing meditation and body various postures (āsanas)- based on the text of the famous sage Patanjali's Yoga Sutras- has investigated its similarities and influences in the Shattariyyah Tariqah and the Yoga school.

Beauty is one of the fundamental concepts in Kabbalah mysticism.Kabbalah is the main current of mystical tradition in Jewish religion.In this mystical theory beauty is considered as one of the divine manifestations of God.The companions of perennial philosophy also discussed this concept as an important concept in the mystical theories of the pre-modern era.They contrast this concept with the modern perception of it and consider God as a source of beauty.The problem of this research is what beauty is in Kabbalah according to the approach of perennial philosophy.Research questions are:What does beauty mean in Kabbalah?What topics are this concept expressed under?This research with the approach of the perennial philosophy and referring to the opinions of Jewish scholar Gershom Sholem aims to analyze and explain the concept of beauty in this mysticism.The goals of the current research are to explain the concept of beauty in the Kabbalah and to explain the topics under which this concept is expressed.The results show t:beauty is used with the term Tiferet is mentioned under the topic of God's manifestations and it means harmony and balance.This is a universal harmony that includes the harmony between the two attributes of God,harmony in the world and human soul.

The main problem of this research is the evolution of Visnu with the world and man in two Vedic and Post-Vedic periods. According to the signs, Vedic texts, which express Aryan thoughts, point to the encompassment and dominance of Visnu in the world and his creativeness, as well as the texts of the post-Vedic period, which are a return to the Dravidian period, indicate that Visnu is the center of existence both a center for creation and a center for manifestation in the world and human heart. In addition, in the texts of the Vedic period, Visnu is relevant to the world from both preservation and salvation aspects; however, in the texts of the post-Vedic period, preservation, salvation, and immanency are attributed to Visnu. Visnu's relationship with human in Vedic and Post-Vedic texts is in the form of manifestation in the world and human heart in order to make human ideals and needs practical. In the Vedic era, ideals are more related to material affairs though in the post-Vedic era, the emphasis is on spiritual matters.

One of the distinctive features of Hindu ancient texts is the presentation of many teachings and beliefs in the form of symbolic and mythological stories. In many cases, due to the passage of time, the meanings and main content of these myths have been forgotten and more attention has been paid to their appearance. In the face of these verbal and superficial perceptions, some experts, philosophers and Hindu mystics have reinterpreted these myths. Although these explanations and interpretations have been made with different approaches, they all try to provide a semantic and sometimes rational understanding of ancient stories and myths. The great Hindu mystic and philosopher Tirumular is one of these people. He had many important influences on the intellectual currents after him, especially the Śaivism traditions. Considering the importance of this influence, this article has tried to examine this saint’s life and the content of his important work the Tirumantiram, and then by selecting some stories and myths which included in this text, examine his hermeneutic approach in the interpretations of Puranic myths.

Acculturation is among the basic concepts belong to Communication Science that in terms of history has been used by Christian Missionaries as promotion methods. This term consists of the process in which groups of people with different cultures, bridge communicate together through the constantly, firsthand and interactive manner. Changes are originated in the cultural patterns of one or another group accordingly by performance. Inculturation during the ages changed to a scientific, observable and experimental technique capable to study in theory along method. It contains two methods Motive and Cultural Diffusion which are accomplished by means of Time, Space, Social Relations, Symbols and Streaming Agreements in societies. Nowadays, human relations whereas analyzing with models. Two Models are mentioned in this paper named VALS and YANKELOVICH. One of the samples in religion development through the Inculturation is the process of Christianity’s spread in China performed by Matteo Ricci in 16 A.D. He used the Immersion method in Chinese culture by learning the language and customs, paved the way for Christendom interaction with China.

The needing or not needing a master is one of the important issues to be considered in spiritual journey.A master is a person who is cognizant of the issues and can guide the person along the path of spiritual journey. Knowing the science of jurisprudence, having an accurate knowledge of the religious law, understanding divine sciences and intuition is necessary conditions for being a master. The wayfarer needs a general master at the beginning of the path and a special master until the end of the way.The religious way and reaching the truth is not possible except through the Sharia.The master who know Sharia will smooth the path and then will help the follower to reach his goal faster. Some do not believe in the necessity of following the master in spiritual journey. Allame Tehrani has critiques on the theory of not needing a master in spiritual journey.He declares the necessity of master, benefits and ways of knowing the master and problems and threats of the master’s absence, as well. Allame Tehrani scrutinizes not needing a master as being astray in spiritual journey and he has considered full obedience to the perfect master in diverse stages of his spiritual journey

Aniconism is a relatively new term in the modern era, which was first coined to describe ancient Greek art, but later became popular with the aim of denigrating Jewish art.Simultaneously with the development of nationalist movements in post-Enlightenment Europe, art historians criticized the lack of visual and iconographic art in Jewish culture, citing the prohibition of images in the Second Commandment. Subsequent research and archeological evidence convinced some Jewish thinkers that the assumption of Jewish Aniconism originated in the 19th century. Therefore, a kind of duality arose, and while some people criticized it, others saw it as a moral and exclusive virtue in Judaism, which ultimately served controversial goals and contemporary identity-nationalist policies on the one hand, and on the other hand, It became a ground for abstract art of the 20th century. However, it cannot be denied that the Jews in some eras adhered to strict idolatry.By examining the most important aspects of the formation of iconoclastic culture in Judaism, this article shows that this culture, in the pre-modern era as well as in the modern and post-Holocaust era, was more influenced by socio-political conditions than a theological prohibition.

Financing of any organization is one of its important and vital issues, the clergy organization is not exempt from this and its founders need to design a plan in this direction so that the organization can perform its duties well and achieve its goals. In this research, which is organized in a documentary-analytical form, by examining the sacred and authentic texts of the Jewish and Christian religions, their economic policy and financial resources in funding the clerical organization, and extracting the views of both religions regarding the main question of this research from the way Providing livelihood for religious scholars, it has been explained and stated that the employment of scholars in business for livelihood, although it seems desirable; But frankly ,in both religions, scholars must be in the service of the religion all the time and have a heavy mission in the religious education of the society, and employment other than that, including business, is a serious obstacle to such a task, and therefore, considering that the duty The growth and exaltation of the spiritual dimension of humans is the responsibility of religious scholars; In the field of providing their livelihood, special duties have been assigned to the people.

The inability of the intellect to reach the essence of transcendence and bewilderment against it, is one of the common concepts of Islamic and Christian mysticism. The Cloud of Unknowing, written by an Christian mystic interprets the path of a mystic as moving towards God in a cloud of darkness, ignorance, and bewilderment; In this journey, the seeker flies towards the transcendent truth with a sharp arrow of love, placing a cloud of forgetting between himself and the whole universe. The essay deals with the central themes of this book, especially The Cloud of Unknowing and The Cloud of Forgetting, and in order to deepen this analysis, it uses an example of Iranian mysticism, that is, The Conference of the Birds (Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr) by Farid ud-Din Attar. In this way, while trying to understand the perspective of the English mystic, the common point of views between these two prominent mystics is analyzed.Attar considers man's desire to Join God as passing through the burning deserts and valleys and finally reaching the level of bewilderment (hayra), while the Christian mystic, who lived in the rainy Midlands of England, sees this attainment as flying through the clouds of bewilderment, darkness and ignorance.

One of the basic topics in theoretical mysticism and especially in Muhyiddin'sreadingisthe question of the truth of Muhammad.Becauseof the mediationof this all-encompassingtruth, between therightand the people, he has a relationshipwith the right and a relationshipwith the people.The connectionbetweentheMuhammadan truth and creation canbe examined fromvarious dimensions,one of the most important of which inIbn Arabi's thought can be considered the connectionbetween the MuhammadantruthandMuhammad,thelast prophet of God.The current study,whichis written in analytical way, triesto answer the question,"What is therelationship between Muhammad'struth and Muhammad inthe Muhyiddin school?"Is the Prophetmanifestationof the progress of the Muhammadan truth or is he the physicaland at the same timeuniquemanifestationof thisall-encompassing truth? Basedon the author's induction,despite the existence ofnumerousreferencesto theanswer to the above-mentioned question in the worksof the Sheikhand his first-classcommentators, there is noclarification on this matter,but in the worksof hislate followers,two different viewshave beenpresented;Some believe that the relationshipbetween theMuhammadan truth and the ProphetMuhammadisanexclusiverelationship, while another groupbelieves that the Muhammadantruth has manyexamples and,accordingly,itsphysical manifestation isnot exclusive to the Prophet Muhammad.The result of the investigations carried out in this research is that, based on the expressions of Ibn Arabi,theSheikh'sviewshould be considered as the first reading, that is, the existence of a special and exclusive relationship betweentheMuhammadan truth and the last prophet.