Persian mysticism, or the Persian love tradition, is a traditional interpretation of existence, life and love, reliant upon revelatory and heart-felt principles in reasoning. Though partially sourced from the mystical
Zoroastrian
Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...
traditions of the
Persian Empire
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, it was the larg ...
, in its contemporary practical aspects it is now synonymous with
Sufism
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
in contemporary
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
.
Thought
Persian mystical thought has been analysed critically by
Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub
Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub ( Luri/Persian: , also Romanized as ''Zarrinkoob'', ''Zarrinkub'', ) (March 21, 1923 – September 15, 1999) was a scholar and professor of Iranian literature, history of literature, Persian culture and history.
He was b ...
,
Abdolkarim Soroush
Abdolkarim Soroush ( ), born Hossein Haj Faraj Dabbagh (born 16 December 1945; ), is an Iranian Islamic and Rumi scholar, and a former professor of philosophy at the University of Tehran. He is among the most influential figures in the religio ...
, and
Dariush Shayegan. In
Rumi
Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (), or simply Rumi (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century poet, Hanafi '' faqih'' (jurist), Maturidi theologian (''mutakallim''), and Sufi mystic born during the Khwarazmian Empire ...
, one can find love-based mysticism; in
Hafiz the pleasure-based mysticism. Under Rumi's influences, Abdolkarim Soroush is currently working on power-based or epic mysticism.
[Smith, Huston. ''The World’s Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions.'' Harper: San Francisco, 1991. ]
Medieval Persian mystical figures
Modern art and the Persian mystical tradition
Persian mysticism has a significant impact on Iranian modern art.
See also
*
Ibn 'Arabi
Ibn Arabi (July 1165–November 1240) was an Andalusian Sunni scholar, Sufi mystic, poet, and philosopher who was extremely influential within Islamic thought. Out of the 850 works attributed to him, some 700 are authentic, while over 400 ar ...
*
Persian poetry
Persian literature comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Persian language and is one of the world's oldest literatures. It spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Its sources have been within Greater Iran including present-day ...
*
Persian traditional music
Persian traditional music or Iranian traditional music, also known as Persian classical music or Iranian classical music, refers to the classical music of Iran (historically known as '' Persia''). It consists of characteristics developed through ...
*
Persianate society
A Persianate society is a society that is based on or strongly influenced by the Persian language, culture, literature, art and/or identity.
The term "Persianate" is a neologism credited to Marshall Hodgson. In his 1974 book, ''The Venture of Is ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Persian Mysticism
Persian philosophy
Persian culture
The culture of Iran () or culture of PersiaYarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) is one of the oldest and among the most influential in the world. Iran (Persia) is widely regarded as one of the cradles of civilization.
Esoteric interpretation of the Quran
Sufism in Iran