Analysis of the Reflection of Shabestri's Ideas in Golshan-e Rāz: A Reception Theory Perspective (Jauss and Iser) on Articles from the 1980s and 1990s

Golshan-e Rāz is a seminal text in theoretical mysticism and numerous articles have been written about it. This study analyzed the perspectives of authors, who wrote about Golshan-e Rāz in the 1980s and 1990s by using the lens of reception theory. This theory highlights the interplay between the text and its readers, emphasizing how the reader's role is crucial in determining a text's meaning and how social paradigms shape the audience's expectations. The theorists Hans Robert Jauss and Eiser argue that the interpretation of a text can shift according to historical context and the reader's background. Their work suggests that readers draw on their literary knowledge and cognitive frameworks to create meaning. This research employed a descriptive-analytical approach, referencing articles from the 1980s and 1990s focused on Golshan-e Rāz. The findings indicated that the audience's expectations and the prevailing social paradigms of these two decades—such as a preference for rational interpretations, the integration of religion and mysticism, an interest in comparative studies, and a focus on theoretical mysticism—had significantly influenced how readers interpreted the text. These interpretations could be categorized into 5 major themes: content criticism, aesthetic criticism, exploration of the roots in the Qur'an and Hadith, comparative research, and analysis of commentary on Golshan-e Rāz.