Mytho-Mystic Literature
Year:2016 | Volume:11 | Issue:41|Papers Count:20

Attar of Nishapur, as a physician, mystic and poet it is not improbable for him to present an eastern view about character growth and mental health of men stemming from his outer experiences and mystic journeys. The aim of present research is to expound the literal and mystical comments of Attar concerning extrovert and introvert personality types based on the ideas of Jung and his followers. Attar uses mystical experience to cure the mental abnormalities of people in his confused society based on capacity of individuals and social groups, and in this way, he explains the perfectibility of men and the personal obstacles and attributes of them. Attar exposes the archetype of perfection and mental health by putting away shadow and anima, and puts the spiritual individualization aside from common masks. Finally, extrovert and introvert characters of individuals are dissolved in mythic-archetypical plots and epistemic experiences.

According to mythology of resurrection, cosmos loses his perfection and gradually becomes weak. As the world was created by a couple in the beginning, also in the end of the world a couple will disperse their seeds in the new world. Based on the mythological view, the reality is composed of imitating an eternal and cosmological example, so the female and male pair repeats the process of creation. The creation of man and cosmos happens in the center which is an indication of the source of any reality and force of life. The event of Var of Jam in Iranian mythology and the event of flood of Noah in Torah and Old Testament belong to myths of resurrection. The ship of Noah and Var of Jam are symbols of the center and the holy space; entering into them means death of old man and birth of new man. Returning to the beginning activates the holy forces that have previously appeared in the center. It ushers and returns the human society to its first situation; that is the position of purity and refinement. In the present article, the myth of Var of Jam in Iranian mythology and the event of flood of Noah as narrated in Torah compare from symbological point of view.

The rites of Sufism, comprising the thoughts and ideas of Muslim mystics, are rooted in Islamic doctrines. But, on the course of evolution, they have undergone some transformations. Muslim mystics have a different view regarding zakat (religious tax in Islam) as a religious duty, and soual (asking for alms) as a social phenomenon. Islamic mystics believe that zakat isn’t a necessary religious duty for them; therefore, they recommend soual and begging, preferring it to zakat. In the present article, after reviewing the views of ahle shariyat (the jurisprudents) and ahle tariqat (the Sufis), we try to analyze the factors that have contributed to the formation of different views of Islamic mystics about zakat and soual.

In the present article, attempts are made to trace the changed manifestations of archetype of motherland in the poems of Hafez. After disintegration of personality of this powerful female archetype, in the beginning it continues to live as goddess, then it is transferred to unconscious, and finally it appears in the mind and language of man through art. The present article tries to answer these questions: may it be said that Hafez belongs to that group of genius poets the historical and geographical gaps could not prevent from appearing archetypes in his poems? Furthermore, regarding to the mythical backgrounds of matriarchy in Iran, how does the archetype of motherland has continued to live in the collective unconscious of Iranians? We believe that the poems of Hafez are the context in which the concept of motherland manifests and finds expression.

Myths, after the age of mythology, have been present and have influenced various aspects the human life. In the present article, after a brief introduction of Iranian mythical and mystical rites, we try to show the marked and unmarked manifestation of clothes in the mythical and mystical texts till 7th A.H. century. It is shown that clothes have a ritualistic function in the myths and Islamic mysticism.

From the second A.H. century, the subject of love was proposed by mystics like Rabia al-Adawiyya, and in the next centuries, despite opposing some of Islamic jurists and people of Hadith, continued to develop and reached to its peak in the thoughts of mystics like Ruzbihan Baqli (1128-1209). Ruzbihan founded his school of thought based on the concept of love; the approach which is prominent and impressive in all of his works, especially Arais albayan (Brides of Elucidation). This mystical commentary tries to discover the mystical ideas of Quran. It reveals the deep contemplations of Ruzbihan about the divine revelation, and reflects his pure thoughts about love to God and the ways of reaching it. In the present article, we try to show the place of love in Arais al-bayan.

In Iranian mythology, Mitra as deity of covenant and judging, has a stable connection with Sun and receives its help to perform its functions. Two deities, Souroush and Rashan accompany him in judging. All of these deities, in addition to judging, have another functions like giving blessing, accompanying the soul of the dead, supporting honesty and fighting with demons. In the present article, we try to show the features of deities of judging by using content analysis method. Then we consider the connection of these features with the deity of judging in Shanameh. In addition to studying the poems which refer to the judging of Mitra and the sun, furthermore, instances that the term of judging indicate the presence of deities of judging are considered.

From way back, man has paid attention to fire and its place in the man’s life. One of the functions of fire is purification. In spite of burning, fire brings purity and cleanliness. According to mythological beliefs, the flaming fire is a battlefield between cleanliness and wickedness. In the present article, at first, we consider the symbolic concept of fire in various myths that indicates to passing from fire (the exam of fire) and ascend to a higher stage. Then, after considering the myth of ‘passing of Siyavash through the fire’ and the story of ‘Abraham in fire’, we compare them with another two stories of Masnavi Manavi of Jalal al-Din Rumi. They are the story of ‘casting the child into the fire’ and the fable of ‘reply to the materialist who says that the world is eternal’. We try to show that Jalal al-Din Rumi has been aware of the ancient symbolic and mythical concepts and has recreated them.

Common aspects in texts belonging to the cognate tribes may be realized. We can find some similarities and differences about prophecy between the nations, especially among the great epics of Greece and Iran namely in Iliad, Odyssey and Shanameh. Based on comparative analysis and with regard to the subjects of comparative literature, the aim of present article is to study the function of prophecy in these three books. The findings of the research show that there is a close relationship among Indo-European tribes manifested in their epics.

The present article presupposes that the writer-mystics have tried to prove the close relationship between mystical knowledge and Quran and the Tradition, facing the Muslim jurisprudents. After considering twenty mystical texts, the results shows that both of inner and personal motives (including divine inspiration, invocation of God, vowing, intercession and the like) and outer motives (such as guiding, giving an ultimatum to wicked, supporting the new mystic traveler, confronting the pretenders, insistence of followers, inability to understand Arabic books and so forth) have led the mystics to write the instructive books. The common tradition among mystics, as well as the insistence of followers provided situation necessary for mystics for receiving divine inspiration.