arais al-bayan

This essay,organized in two parts,is alibrary study,and employs the methodof analysis,description and comparison.The first part deals with the introduction ofthe indicative methodof interpretationofthe Qur’an verses and, during which the interpreter choosesa wordand assigns eachletter to theinitial letter of another word, thus presents hisattitude towards the text. The second part of this research analyzes the position of indicative interpretation in the works of Ruzbihan Baqli(1128-1209 AC),known as "Sheikh Shattah"in his books Arais al-Bayan and Sharh-e Shat’hiyat.He has used this innovative method for hismystical interpretation of the mysterious letters and other words of the Holy Qur’an.He himself pointed out the importance of indicative interpretation. However, in some cases he assigns the letters of interpreting word to other wordsthat begins withthe same letterand in someother cases heopens up the field to his own taste to express what his mind has received from mystical inspirations with the helpof indicative interpretation method.Insuchcases, Ruzbihan does not stick to assigning the letters of the word he is discussing tothe initial letters of other words. In these cases, the letter chosen for the indicative interpretation is not at the beginning,but in the middle or at the end of the related words.In additionto the methodological dimension, in terms of content, regarding mysterious letters or other Qur’an’s words that he chooses for indicative interpretation,he sometimes turns tothe documentarymethod of interpretation.So,he authorizes his interpretations by hadithsand narrations ofthe infallibles(PBUH)as well as the words of other researchersof mystical opinions.Sometimes, headheres to the light of his inner perceptions,and so paves the pathof interpretation

 Arais al-Bayan is the most considerable work of Ruzbihan Baqli, a renowned mystic and Qur"an researcher in the 12th century. The present study is based on the complete investigation of this book, scrutinizing 1372 different examples of the explanation of the verses of the Quran, including 772 formed with the help of other verses and 600 of which with the help of various hadiths. It studied his application of three methods, including "Quran to Quran", "Hadith documented", and chimerical-mystical method of interpretation. By explaining the characteristics and abundance of each of the three types of interpretation, this research tries to give a clearer view of the interpretation of the Qur"an by Ruzbihan Baqli.

 The data used in this study is out of the search in library sources. Then, the data are scrutinized by the method of description and analysis and sometimes, depending on the investigation requirements, through comparison.

 In Arais al-Bayan, all three methods of interpretation have numerous instances. Despite this, the abundance of evidence of the Hadith-documented method of interpretation is more than the interpretation of the Qur"an to the Qur"an. Ruzbihan has used two methods in interpreting the Qur"an to the Qur"an: intra-sura and inter-sura reference. The latter method has a clearer privilege than the first one. He has used many hadiths in his interpretation of the verse. In his book, the clear priority is the hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) and then the words of Hazrat Sadiq (pbuh). Qudsi and Alavi hadiths have been used in a lesser proportion. The chimerical-mystical interpretation is Ruzbihan"s third method for interpretation of Quranic verses. The frequency of this type is equal to documented interpretation.

 In Arais al-Bayan, in addition to the evidence of chimerical-mystical interpretation, there are numerous instances of Qur"an to the Qur"an and Qur"an to Hadith. This fact shows Ruzbihan"s vast knowledge of the Qur"an and Hadiths. Also, the proper and extensive use of verses and Hadiths to explain the verses of the Qur"an, which is based on the discovery of subtle and precise connections between them, proves the presence of the mind and the power of associating the subjects in Ruzbihan. On the other hand, the various evidences of interpretation of the Qur"an to the Qur"an and Qur"an to Hadith show that the book should not be considered merely a chimerical-mystical explanation of the Qur"an verses. However, instead, it should be considered as having broad dimensions of interpretation.

From the second A.H. century, the subject of love was proposed by mystics like Rābia al-Adawiyya, and in the next centuries, despite opposing some of Islamic jurists and people of Hadith, continued to develop and reached to its peak in the thoughts of mystics like Ruzbihan Baqli (1128-1209). Ruzbihan founded his school of thought based on the concept of love; the approach which is prominent and impressive in all of his works, especially Arāis al-bayān (Brides of Elucidation). This mystical commentary tries to discover the mystical ideas of Quran. It reveals the deep contemplations of Ruzbihan about the divine revelation, and reflects his pure thoughts about love to God and the ways of reaching it. In the present article, we try to show the place of love in Arāis al-bayān.