An Analysis on Soul in Mystical Literature

One of the debatable and useful words by mystics in Persian language and literature is soul that faces with various beliefs and viewpoints. Most mystics believe that soul is an essence of creature and a relater of tradition and non-physical. In addition, they believe in the existence of two animal and human souls and state that the human soul never faces with death and extinction and is an eternal essence, but the animal soul encounters nullity and annihilation. Apart from that, the promotion and sublimity of soul is in direct relation with the weakness and shrinking body; in other words, the growth and sublimity of the one affect the decline and annihilation of the other. However, they never reject the apparent format and senses because they believe that the external forces be means of the internal ones make soul achieve the sublime knowledge.The writer in the article tries to discuss the beliefs and viewpoints of mystics in Persian literature up to the seventh century A.H. about soul, its nature, quality, and importance, the cause of its decline and upheaval and its separation and disintegration from its origin.