Comparative Analysis of Mystical Ascending and Descending Stages in Thoughts of Plato and Suhrawardi

The fall of human from heavens to the inferior world and human longing for returning to the world to which he belonged from eternity is among the most fundamental philosophico-mystical issues that could be found in the works of many divine philosophers. Study of the philosophico-mystical works indicates that in the process of decline and fall, various inferences have been drawn by the philosophers that are rooted in their thoughts and perceptions. In order to get to know the distinctions and differences of this mystical subject in two geographic areas of East and West, a comparative study has been taken up on two famous figures of mysticism i.e. Plato, known as the father of the west mysticism and Sheikh Shahaboddin Suhrawardi, the founder of Ishraqi School in the East. Despite of the similarities of thoughts in respect to the stages of the journey towards God, the most important distinction is the fact that Plato􀀇s mysticism is invoked by intellectual patterns and lack of religious bases while Suhrawardi􀀇s mysticism is based on religion and influenced by revelation teachings.