معارف عقلی

Abstracts

Mysticism and Sufism in the Wide Range of Traditions

Ali Amininejad

There are many traditions and narrations by the infallible Imams (peace be upon them) about Sufism in Shi'ah classic traditions sources. These traditions have caused some misgivings among the less educated. Similarly, there are many second hand books published nowadays extensively, causing some misunderstandings and worrying those who are less aware of traditions sources. These traditions have dealt with the topic in question from different perspectives. No doubt, to clarify the viewpoint of the family of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon them) will serve as a guideline.

      In order to see the truth, the paper tries to cast light on some misconceptions about the traditions through evaluating their content and their chain of reporters.

Keywords: Sufism, Sufi, Sufism in Shi'ah traditions.

Elements and Components of Practical Mysticism

Mahdi Babyi

According to one division, Islamic mysticism is divided into two categories: theoretical and practical. Having distinguished between wayfaring experience and mystical experience, the paper throws light on the elements of the science of practical mysticism, which are: a) inner actions and states b) wayfaring positions and stages c) reaching the positions and stages for obtaining ultimate perfections d) and goal and objective which is the panicle of monotheism. It also touches elements such as methodology, containing wayfaring experience, intuition of inner experience and also the element of interpretation. It also makes a comparison between the science of practical mysticism and ethics. It finally evaluates the relation between practical and theoretical mysticism. 

Keywords: wayfaring experience, mystical experience, practical mysticism, theoretical mysticism, mystical positions and stages, wayfaring, real perfection (mystical monotheism).

A Glance at Love Narrations in Mystical Literature (an introduction into analyzing love language in literary mysticism)

Masud Ismaeli

As a special domain of Islamic mysticism, literary mysticism enjoys its own distinct language. Among other literary works, love lyrics use a complicated and some time libertine language which has been subject to different analyses. Traditional views about love language fall under two spectrums; one emphasizing on the symbolic characteristics of love language and the other on the openness and vividness of this language. The latter is advocated by many contemporary scholars.  A close examination of these two spectrums shows that they are not contradictory. The former as was related, stresses on explaining mystical meanings through literary mysticism and the latter agrees with some sort of hiddenness of the meanings under the umbrella of the words of this language. This shows that these two views are reconcilable in some higher levels. According to this comprehensive view, based on the positive points of the mentioned words, the language of literary mysticism is taken to be composed of "symbols of literary mysticism" transferring deep rooted emotions through literary usages loaded with deep and mysterious meanings.

Keywords: literary mysticism, love lyrics, wine poems, libertine poems, exoteric meaning, esoteric meaning, symbol.     

Islamic Mysticism in Cooperation between Religion and Innate Disposition (fitrat)

Ali Fazli

Trying to find the origin of Islamic mysticism and the context in which it flourished, the paper presents three preliminary descriptions of mysticism, religion and innate disposition. Explaining and evaluating this triangle, it concludes that mysticism has come into being and flourished as a result of a circular cooperation among innate disposition, religion and experience.

Keywords: religion, innate disposition and mysticism

Knowledge of the Perfect Man

Asadullah Shukriyan

Trying to understand the origin and the fathomless domain of the knowledge of the perfect man, the present article, keeping in view the infallibles' traditions, first deals with the essence of the knowledge of the perfect man, then it deals with the human aspect of the perfect man introducing him spiritually and physically. Throwing light on physical and spiritual temper of the perfect man, the article tries to make a link between this discussion and the discussion of his knowledge. It also deals with kinds of knowledge received by the perfect man from the perspectives of some great mystics. In the end, presenting the theory of union between the perfect man and the Divine Names, it concludes that he, on account of his existential presence at all levels of existence, knows about the total existence.

Keywords:

the perfect man, knowledge of the perfect man, temper, Divine Names, divinely inspired knowledge, knowledge.  

Examples of Confrontation between Intuition and Reason  

Ibrahim Noei

No doubt the question attributed to Abu Sa'id Abu al-Khair in regard with the circularity of the first form of Aristotelian syllogism, its uselessness, its ambiguity and its falsity – which naturally results in the falsity of other forms of syllogisms- and the answer given by Avicenna to this question needs extensive scientific explorations. Although to talk about the content of this dialogue ends in controversy between intuition and reason, there is no single opinion about the question raised by Abu Sa'id. Some reject the story as fiction while others accept it as a fact. The latter is also of different views: some assume the dialogue to be in a written form while others think it was the output of a physical meeting.

     Anyway, the controversy over the occurrence of this dialogue has put the dialogue into some sort of ambiguity.  The paper tries to play a role in throwing light upon the reality of this story.

Keywords: Abu Sa'id bin Abi al-Khair, Avicenna, Muhammad bin Munnawwar, Jamal al-Din, Abu Ruh, syllogism, first form of syllogism, circularity.

Principles and Methods of [Writing] a Glossary

Written by: Leonard,Will

Translated by: Rahmatullah Rezayi

Although nowadays, it is undoubtedly necessary to have a glossary to have an easy access to most information, some avoid writing or even using a glossary on account of the complexity of its rules and regulations.

     The author begins with easy rules so as to show that making a glossary is not a difficult task. Thus, while relating certain principles, he firstly tries to explain the relations among synonymy, the more general, the more particular and the derivatives and then he mentions some complementary points including domain notes, glossary formats and abstract terms. Other points tackled are terms such as singular and plural, whole and part and multi-general terms. Finally, he makes a mention of the necessity of controlling and revising the process of making a glossary. He also relates the domains for which making a glossary is suitable.

Keywords:  glossary, index, more general relations, more particular relations, hierarchical relations, derivative terms, cataloguing. 

A New Look at Traditional Method of Writing a Glossary: Reflections on "Principles and Method of Writing a Glossary"

Ahmed Abu Turabi

Glossary is usually written only for classification purposes and it is used to help gain an easy and quick access to file archives or the place where a subject matter is discussed. Thus museums, archives and libraries are the most important places where glossaries are to be used. What seems to restrict a glossary to a mere method for classification, are the principle and method current glossaries apply. A glossary is not a mere means of classification; it can also be used as means to relate scientific truths and discover them. However, when used in this way, its principles and methods of compilation have to be changed and improved. The present paper tries to show how to use an expert glossary and how to improve it qualitatively and quantitatively.

Keywords: glossary, index, cataloguing, dependent, association, preferred, non-preferred, more general and more particular, whole and part, homonymy (equivocation), equality, coincidence, contrariety.