Mystical Affirmative Ethics from the Viewpoint of Teresa of Avila and Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī

Affirmative ethic– the collection of virtues and merits in all human societies– secures the permanence and consistency of human life. In mystical approach which aims at experiencing the final core of knowledge, the affirmative ethic is defined differently. In general, there is no dichotomy between the affirmative ethic and other ethical issues, but mystics pay more attention to its esoteric dimension than the exoteric one. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582 C.E.) and Jalāl al-dīn Rūmī (1208-1274 C.E.) are mystics of two Islamic and Christian traditions who have taken much notice of affirmative ethic– concepts such as modesty, sincerity, forgiveness and etc– in their works and have emphasized to its importance in the course of mystical journey. For Teresa of Avila modesty is of the utmost importance, so much that one could call her mysticism the mysticism of modesty. For Rūmī it is almost the same. From his viewpoint modesty impedes the penetration of evil into the seeker’s mind, brings man to the position of kingship among the other creatures and grants him the divine union.