Hujviri's Methodology in Defining and Criticizing the Sufism Terminology

Adhering to the old traditions, Hujviri employs a particular method in his own definitions of the principles and terminology of Sufism that can justify his different comment on such matters. Present essay is to study Hujviri’s methodological principles to analyze his approach in definition of mystical terms. Centrality of human annihilation and the focus on his inherent limitations are the most important methodological principles of Hujviri in Kashf al-Mahjub. Emphasizing one of these principles, Hujviri has expressed his ideas in different sections of definition, interpretation, comparison and evaluation of Sufism terminology. He focuses more on the first principle to define the terms and to criticize their efficiency; on the second principle to evaluate the other's definitions; and on both principles to compare the terms. The above-mentioned principles make the direction of Hujviri’s hermeneutic of Quranic verses, allegories and stories clear. They also reveal a semantic relation in Sufism terms in Kashf al-Mahjub and fluctuate Hujviri’s viewpoint between definability and indefinability of terms.