Inter-textual Reading and its Effects on Understanding Mystical Scripts

Contextual reading can help to read and understand a text. One form of contextualization is called inter-textual reading. When you study a script with respect to the words coming before or after it, you will reach a better understanding of the meaning of the script. This is especially true for the mystical scripts because the mystical works in Persian and Arabic languages are intertwined. Sometimes a script is considered as the translation of another script and sometimes as a description. For the majority of scripts, although they are neither a direct translation nor a description of each other but they have a very deep inter-textual relationship. Inter-textual according to its common definition, i.e. the reading and interpreting a script with the help of other scripts, will result in better and more accurate meaning of the script. It will even help editing the script. In this paper, an effort has been made not only analyze the inter-textual relations that exist among some mystical works of prior to seventh century (A.H.) like Sharhe Toaref, the Dissertation of Qashiriyeh and its two different translations, Kashf-ol Mahjoob, and Tazkerat-ol Olyaa but also explain the role and effect of intertextual reading in better understanding of the meaning and more accurate interpretation of these scripts.