Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

An Examination of the Themes in Sufi Prose Texts and Their Influence on Divine Attributes in Correspondence with Mystical Themes in the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi from the Safavid Period Preserved in the National Library of France

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Jamil Bahramzai 1
Nemat Esfahani Omran 2
Esmail Eslami 3
1 Department of Persian Language and Literature, Jiroft Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jiroft, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Jiroft Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jiroft, Iran
3 Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Jiroft Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jiroft, Iran
10.22034/ias.2024.424336.2312
Abstract
Regarding the frequency of Divine Names used in the Sufi prose works employed in these three texts and their comparison, it must be said that since Ruh al-Arwah is written specifically as a mystical commentary on the Names, this comparison cannot be one of equality or balance. In this work, one can observe in detail the establishment of a connection with the Creator based on love and through the Names of Beauty and Grace. Sana'i's significant emphasis throughout his work on love and affection in knowing God and on worship that is both loving and submissive is evident. Another matter that fundamentally differentiates Ruh al-Arwah from works such as Al-Luma' and Kashf al-Mahjub is Sana'i's conscious endeavor to express mystical experiences, which is clearly visible throughout the entire work. Persian mystical texts are influenced by religious concepts and themes centered on the knowledge of God and monotheism, and it is fitting that this subject be comprehensively researched and examined in these works. In this research, an attempt has been made to examine the reflection of divine attributes in Sufi prose texts from the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries AH. The results show that the authors of these works, influenced by Quranic verses, were able to create a fundamental transformation in the course of Persian prose works and mystical themes; such that divine attributes are directly manifested in their work. The results also show that despite many commonalities regarding Divine Names and Attributes, how they are utilized is influenced by the theological beliefs and the religious and mystical viewpoints of the authors of these works.
Research Objectives:


Examining the influence of the thematic content of Sufi prose texts on divine attributes.


Examining the influence of theological beliefs and religious and mystical viewpoints on divine attributes in Sufi prose texts and the mystical themes of the Shahnameh.


Research Questions:


How are divine attributes utilized in Sufi prose texts?


What influence do theological beliefs and religious and mystical viewpoints have on divine attributes in Sufi prose texts and the mystical themes of the Shahnameh?
Keywords
Divine Attributes
Mystical Texts
Al-Luma' fi al-Tasawwuf
Kashf al-Mahjub
Ruh al-Arwah

Subjects

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