Mytho-Mystic Literature
Year:2014 | Volume:9 | Issue:33|Papers Count:10

Some researchers believe that the poems of Sohrab Sepehri are influenced by Islamic Iranian mysticism, but some others refer to the influence of Eastern and Indian mysticism, and the other group rejects any mystical context in his works. On the other hand, the thoughts of Abusa’id Abolkhayr, one of the great Sufis of Khorasan School, have some similarities with Eastern mysticism. Both Abusa’id Abolkhayr and Sohrab Sepehri have an openminded look to Shariah (Islamic law); concealing vices and sins of men, kindness with God’s creatures, being free from race prejudice are their distinctive features. They have passed the usual boundaries between good and evil and criticize the hypocrisy and taboos. Based on mystical doctrines of Abusa’id Abolkhayr and Sohrab Sepehri and with regard to the books Asrar al-Tawhid and Hasht Ketab, the present article tries to consider the subject of openmindedness in their thoughts.

The main subject of this article is methodical analysis of love with regard to Masnavi Manavi. The author, with paying attention to the doctrines of Quran and the deeds and words of Mouhammad and the 12 Imams, tries to consider the subject of love in the relationship of God and man. On this basis, for analysing the meaning and concept of ‘love’ and reaching a stable ‘study of love’, it is required to move from ‘study of God’ to ‘study of man’.

Through the passage of time the myths change and sometimes appear in a new form: epic. In the process of change, some transformations, such as displacement, inversion, elimination and other changes may take place in the myth. Meantime, the heroes change too. The present article tries to analyze these transformations by taking into account the functions of myth and epic.

Zahak is one of the most important and ambiguous characters in Iranian mythology. The researchers have studied about his origin and symbolic aspects of his character, but have not spoken much about his relationship with the land of sacred snakes, i.e., Mesopotamia. The present article searches the origin of the myth of Zahak not in Indo-European regions, but in Mesopotamia, and shows that the myth, in the passage of time, has mixed with Indo-European myths, and is covered with a terrifying halo of mystery.

In the works of Bahram Beyzaii, sometimes structures and functions of myth, for example, the stereotype of hero, have been transformed. Some mythologists, like Joseph John Campbell in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, have extensively noticed role of hero and his journey. Campbell identifies ten stages in a hero’s journey, noting that all of the stages have to occur in every heroic story. But Bahram Beyzaii changes this pattern with reducing the status of hero and raising the dignity of heroine. Ra’na in the film of Qaribe va Meh (1974 - The Stranger and the Fog), the wife of miller in the theater of Marg-e Yazdgerd (1979 - Death of Yazdgerd), Tara in the film of Charike-ye Tara (1979 - Ballad of Tara), Khanoom Bouzrogh and Mahorukh in the film of Mosaferan (1992 - Travellers) and Golroukh in Sagkoshi (2001 - Killing Mad Dogs) wisly examine and salavage, and transformed into a heroine. So the role of myth and gender are brought into prominence in his works.

Islamic mystics, by citing to the recit (Hadith) ‘God created man in His (own) image’, believe that the man is a God-displaying mirror. According to them, there are various Divine names, attributes and manifestions, so the reality of man is one-many that receives various names because of various manifestions. Most of the Muslim mystics believe that the reality of man is his heart and call its manisfestion ‘Latayef sabae’ (seven subtleties). These subtleties are as follows: nature, soul, reason, heart, secret, hidden secret and the most hidden state. In disciplined Sufi practice (suluk), these seven stages are considered as the stages of man’s perfection. If the ‘soul’ of man perfects his talent, strengthens his power of illumination and becomes a God-displaying mirror, then his soul will be called ‘heart’ that is the meeting point of esoteric and external worlds. At this time, he will be God’s Throne. The persent article, by considering the reality of ‘heart’ from Muslim mystics’ points of view, tries to analyze ‘Latayef sabae’ (seven subtleties) in the arcs of descent and ascent. 

Based on a structural critique, the present article tries to analyze the story of "the slave and the merchant" in Marzaban-nameh. At first, according to Vladimir Propp’s morphology of fairy tales, two motifs: journey and return from journey, are considered. These motifs, as part of 31 functions that make up any hero story, are compared with two mythical archetypes: Familiarization and Mirnourouzi. The constructive elements of story and myth are examined and then the story of "the slave and the merchant" is interpreted in this light.

Knowledge is a collection of understandings and awarenesses that are acquired from outside. But there is another knowledge, so called intuitive or mystical knowledge, which is acquired without using experience or proof. The present article tries to study the intuitive knowledge in Nahj al-Balagha. According to this book, the intuitive knowledge isn’t obtaind by experience or rational method; but it is a result of reflexion and praying God. As a result, the holder of this knowledge can be aware of supernatural and unseen events.

Studying the works of Persian great poets shows that some poems of Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi have not composed by Mulana Jalal-al Din Rumi, and the poems of Sultan Walad, Sanaee, Attar, Khaqani and etc. have been recorded in the name of Mulana. It can be argued that the poems of poets who used to live after Mulana have by mistake been recorded in Diwan-e Shams. But the poems of poets who used to live before him, like Sanaee and Attar, have been recorded by Mulana himself. In Sufi circles, Mulana used to read the poems of these poets from memory, so some of the poems have been recorded in his own works. The present article considers some poems of Sanaee and Attar that have been recorded in the name of Mulana in Diwan-e Shams. Also, his researches about the poems of Annvari, Mojir Beilaqani and Nezami have been noticed.

There is no comprehensive definition for Sama in dictionaries and only certain aspects of it are noticed. Sema can be considered from two perspectives. The one is the official Sema that has its own rituals and many opponents and supporters have discussed about it. The second is related to Suluk and perfection of man. The book of Asrar al-Tawhid fi Maghamat al-Sheikh Abusa’id shows that from the time of Abu-Sa'id Abul-Khayr there have been many differences of opinion about Sama. Some believe that it is food of soul, a spiritual state and a shadow of the ultimate reality; but the others consider it as a satanic instrument. Saadi believes that everyone can not participate in Sama and it takes effect only in a few holy travelers (salek). The present article, by considering the differences of opinion about Sama, tries to examine Saadi’s point of view.