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The mystical journey (suluk) is a key concept in mystical literature and spiritual traditions. Going beyond its literal meaning of 'moving' and 'walking,' it refers to an inner path of self-knowledge, purification of the soul, and drawing closer to the truth.
According to Ambassador Arjan Elaha Khosravi, in a report he prepared with artificial intelligence, he writes: In this path, humans try to overcome habits, attachments and obstacles that prevent a deeper knowledge of themselves and the world.
But what exactly is mystical conduct? Who is the seeker? How are the stages of the journey defined and why do the works of mystics talk about the master, meditation, remembrance and refinement of the soul?
The word "behavior" literally means to walk, travel and move. This word has a deeper meaning in mysticism and refers to walking a spiritual and inner path. Mystical behavior can be considered a process in which a person tries to reach a different understanding of truth and existence by knowing himself, correcting his behavior, controlling his desires and paying more attention to spiritual matters.
In Islamic mysticism, conduct is usually not limited to a set of outward actions. What is important is the inner transformation of man; It means that a person's outlook, intention, morality and way of facing life should gradually change. From here, we can understand the difference between "doing a spiritual act" and "behavior". Behavior is more of a continuous process than a brief experience or sudden event.
In mystical texts, a person who enters the path of conduct is called a seeker. A seeker is not necessarily someone who withdraws from social life or spends all his time in solitude and worship. In many mystical traditions, the main issue is the quality of human connection with oneself, others and the world.
For this reason, in addition to paying attention to spiritual matters, the seeker should also be involved with concepts such as honesty, humility, patience, responsibility and self control. From a mystical point of view, if the spiritual search causes an increase in self-conceit, contempt for others, or a sense of superiority, it has distanced itself from the moral goal of conduct.
What is the difference between progress and mysticism?
Mysticism is a broad field of spiritual thought and experience that discusses the knowledge of truth, God, man, existence and the relationship between them. But the conduct is more related to the "way" and the process that a person goes through to achieve knowledge or spiritual transformation.
If we consider mysticism to be a map of a land, then Seluk can be the path to follow. Of course, this separation is not done in the same way in all mystical traditions and schools, and mystical terms have acquired different meanings in different periods.
There is no single list agreed upon by all mystics for the mystical process. Different mystical texts have described this path with different languages and divisions.
One of the famous patterns in Islamic mysticism is the discussion of "status and status". Some important stages of the conduct can be explained as follows:
In many mystical texts, repentance is one of the first steps on the path of salvation. Repentance here does not only mean regretting a behavior; Rather, it can mean the conscious return of a person from a path that he considers incorrect. Repentance in this sense is the beginning of a review of behavior, intention and lifestyle.
2. Mujahidah and refinement of the self by referring to the seeker
The seeker is a mystical authority that the penitent, by referring to him, tries to follow the path and customs of the houses of inner transformation: "The seeker was not unaware of the ways and customs of the houses". In the specialized term of mysticism, the seeker is not just a novice or a beginner; Rather, he is a human being who has gone through the ranks and spiritual homes step by step with struggle, has reached the status of a complete path and has achieved this high name and title in order to find the qualification of inner leadership and purpose.
At this stage, the repentant faces his desires, habits and desires. The concept of self-struggle is very important in Islamic mysticism and refers to man's effort to free himself from the domination of desires that distance him from moral and spiritual values. Refinement of the soul does not mean the complete elimination of human desires, but it is related to ordering and guiding them in the path of morality and awareness.
Meditation can be considered as a kind of continuous attention and awareness towards one's behavior, thoughts and intentions. A seeker of salvation and truth tries to know his motives better before any action and not to be indifferent to his inner state. In this sense, meditation means increasing the presence of mind and paying attention to the quality of daily behavior.
Zikr is one of the important concepts in many Islamic mystical traditions. Zikr can refer to remembering and paying attention to God through special names and phrases or the presence of the heart and his constant memory. The purpose of Zikr in the mystical tradition is not only to repeat words; Rather, it is creating a kind of inner presence and attention.
The path of the path in mystical texts is usually not described as an easy and short path. Therefore, patience has an important place in this path. The seeker must be able to be patient with difficulties, failures and internal changes and not expect immediate results.
Trust is another important concept in Islamic conduct. In the simplest terms, trusting means trusting God along with doing duty and effort; Not an abdication of personal responsibility or an indifference to life.
In many mystical texts, love has a fundamental place. Various mystics have spoken of love and affection as a force that can move people away from self-centeredness and change their view of God, humans and the world.
One of the most famous images of the mystical path is "Seven Valleys" in Attar Nishabouri's book Logic al-Tir. Attar introduces this path in the form of seven stages:
These seven valleys should not necessarily be considered as a fixed instruction or the same program for all seekers of the valley of love and salvation. It can be considered a literary and mystical image of human evolution in the path of truth seeking. In this narrative, the seeker of salvation begins with seeking, and continues with love, knowledge, freedom from attachments, monotheism, astonishment, and finally the concept of poverty and annihilation.
There are differences in the manners of different mystical schools, but some principles are common in many of these traditions:
refining the ego and controlling anger and desires;
Responsibility towards family and society;
Caution against the claimants of spirituality and dignity.
In this view, conduct is not separate from everyday life. Human behavior with family, colleagues and society can be an important criterion for measuring the real effects of behavior.
The role of teacher and mentor in mystical conduct
In many mystical traditions, the teacher or the mentor and the seeker (who was not unaware of the armor and customs of the houses) have an important place. The reason for this importance is that the path of behavior may be associated with complex inner experiences and the seeker may make mistakes in recognizing his states.
However, a mystical master should not be equated with unquestioning obedience to an individual. The relationship between disciple and mentor in different schools of Sufism and mysticism has had different forms. Also, claims about people who claim to have dignity, extraordinary powers, or the ability to heal spiritually should be viewed with caution and a critical eye. Financial dependence, psychological abuse, and disconnection from a person's family or society are some of the signs that can be a warning sign.
solitude, remembrance and meditation; Should the seeker be removed from society?
One of the common perceptions is that mysticism necessarily means leaving society and living in isolation, but the history of mysticism does not present such a uniform picture. Some mystics have emphasized solitude and others have lived among people and had social activities. Even in Islamic mystical traditions, the relationship between "seclusion" and "being in society" has been a complex and different issue.
Therefore, it cannot be said that every person who wants to follow the spiritual path should distance himself from family, work or society. Solitude, if any, can be an opportunity to focus and review; But isolation and social disconnection is not necessarily a sign of spiritual progress.
One of the most important aspects of conduct is ethics. In many mystical texts, spiritual experiences are considered valuable when they lead to a change in morals and behavior. If a person claims to have reached a spiritual stage, but still suffers from narcissism, cruelty, lies, humiliation of others or abuse of people, such a claim is not compatible with the moral purpose of many mystical traditions.
From this point of view, the important criterion for understanding behavior is not strange claims and extraordinary experiences, but its effect on human personality and behavior.
Mystical conduct in the works of Iranian mystics
Iran has been one of the most important origins of Persian mystical literature. The works of poets and mystics such as Sanai Ghaznavi, Attar Neishabouri, Maulana Jalaluddin Muhammad Balkhi and Hafez Shirazi are still studied in mystical, literary and philosophical studies.
In works such as Hadiqa al-Haqiqah Sana'i, Logic al-Tayr Attar and Masnavi Mawani of Rumi, topics such as love, knowledge, self, truth and inner transformation of man are expressed in the language of poetry, anecdotes and parables. These works are not only religious or educational texts; Rather, they form an important part of Persian literary and intellectual heritage and have been the subject of literary and mystical studies for centuries.
Does mysticism mean reaching supernatural powers?
no This idea is one of the popular and sometimes incorrect perceptions of mysticism. In some mystical narratives, dignity or extraordinary events may be mentioned, but the main focus of conduct in many authentic mystical texts is knowledge, ethics, cultivation and inner transformation.