Content and Structural Analysis of the Issue of Seeing God in Attar of Nishapur Poems (With an Approach to Quranic Verses and Theological Views of Mu'tazilites and Ash'arites)

The issue of seeing God is one of the most important theological issues and is strongly disputed by Islamic sects, including the Ash'arites and the Mu'tazilites. The Ash'arites consider it possible to see God on the Day of Judgment; While Mu'tazilite theologians have considered it impossible to see God in this world and the hereafter. This issue is so important that in addition to theologians, most of the poets who believe in this theological issue or are opposed to it have also expressed their beliefs and ideology in this regard in their poems. Attar of Nishapur is one of the poets who has addressed the issue of seeing God and expressing his views on this issue in his works. In this research, an attempt has been made to reveal the theological position of this poet regarding the issue of seeing God by analyzing some stylistic devices in Attar's poems and his Masnavi by using Quranic verses and theological views of Mu'tazilites and Ash'arites. The results of this study indicate that Attar believes in the manifestation of the attributes of God, not in seeing his essence.