Mystic Philosophy of Mulavi
Mystic Philosophy of Mulavi
By: Abbas Fazli
Introduction
As theosophy is to reach intuitive findings, gustoes and esoteric ecstasies and regarded a personal experience. The mystics have tried to use wisdom and reasoning as tools to share their experiences. And achieve third mystical journey called "the travel from God (Haqq) to the creatures by God".
Clearly translating the mystical language to rational arguments always ends with challenge between wisdom and enthusiastic love and has had the opposition and injustices of some jurisconsults and theologians. (Allama Helli, Nahjolhaqq/57, Allama Majlesi, Baharolanvar Vol.57/197 -Yazdi, Orvatolvosgha problem/199) But despite this, pantheism (Beginning Unity) theory in Islamic mysticism as the most essential discussion has always been a ground for mystics, philosophers and orientalists to give their opinions and it is an undeniable need to address.
Pantheism is a philosophical - theological theory as well as a literary talent and mystical intuition by which a mystic gives a rational interpretation of monotheism. As a mystic knows and sees God as the origin of existence and believes that there is only one real creature in the universe. He regards this belief as pure monotheism and the most specifics belief and distinguishes and separates it from public opinion. (Ibn Arabi, Al-Futūohat al-Makkiyya, P.176- Aljondi, Sharh Fusus al-Hikam, P.274). However he walks with caution no to get involved with transduction and unification at this stage or harm his religious beliefs (Molasadra, Asfar Arbaeh, Vol.2 P.310). The real mystic is who makes a bridge between Divine Law (Shariat), Spiritual way and truth and brings oneness and union out of them (Shabestari, Golshan-e-Raz, P.5).
In this article, introducing the background and defining pantheism in Islamic mystic, we evaluate Mulavi's opinion as the greatest Persian poet (Brown, History of Iran Literature, Vol.2, P.515) and a pantheism theorist (Franklin, Mulana - yesterday to today, P.507).
Background
Mystic as any other religious movement, originated in Quran and tradition in Islam and can't be discussed but by studying the first sources (Nicholson, Islamic Sufism in the relationship between God and man, P.27). The inspirational principles for mystics have been verses such as "God is the first and the last, He is the Apparent and the concealed and He is aware of everything" (Quran57:3) and "Wherever you are, He (God) is with you" (57:4) and traditions(hadithes) such as "I was a hidden treasure and liked to be recognized, so I created the creatures" (Ibn Arabi, Al-Futuohāt al-Makkiyya, Vol.3, P.407) and "God created Adam from form Himself' (Ibn Arabi, Al-Futuohāt al-Makkiyya, Vol. 3, P.119) and "There was only God in
the eternity and nothing another was with Him" (Ibn Arabi, Al-Futuohāt al-Makkiyya, Vol.1, P.226). Though some orientalists (Nicholson, Occurrence and Course of Sufism, P.65) believe that Islamic mystic originated from the thoughts of Philon of Alexandria (Alfakhori, Islamic History of Philosophy, P.249) and has formed affected by Christian, Manichaean, Gnostic and Buddhism and neoplatonic elements (Kakaei, Pantheism, P.121).
The Islamic mystics, in addition to Quran and tradition, using concepts such as abnegation, invocation and reliance, established the Islamic mysticism and since the second century onwards they theorized by the principles of mysticism with interpretations such as 'annihilation in Allah', 'subsistence with God', mystical knowledge and monotheism.
Having the stars such as Imam Ghosheiri, Hojviri, Ghazzali and Ibn Arabi in the sky of mysticism, these subjects were enriched and with Gheisari, Ghoonavi and Kashani reviewing on Fusus al-Hikam by Ibn Arabi they made for a great mystic like Mevlana to appear in order to firm the pillars of mysticism.
Pantheism theory as the main core of mystical thought has a long history. Three theories have been presented for the historical background and its occurrence.
1- Ebrahim Madkoor, an Egyptian researcher, though believes this theory completed by Ibn Arabi but says: this word is first used by Ibn Teymiyeh, the Hanbali jurisconsult. (Jahangiri,Muhyed-din Ibn Arabi famous face of islamic mysticism, P263)
2- Alfred von Kremer believes that Hossein Ibn Mansour-Hallaj, is the founder of Pantheism theory (Bahari nezhad, Ibn Arabi and Beginning Unity, P.35)
The Iplea of Personality in sutismi Three lectures delivered in the 3- Nicholson (writes: "The greatest founder of Pantheism theory is Muhyed-din Ibn Arabi (Nicholson, Islamic Sufism in the relationship between God and man, P.60)
It seems that all three theories can be criticized as Ibn Khaldoon said:"Pantheism TheoryNicholso formed gradually over time and has been used in mystic and Islamic Sufism (Ibn-i-Reynold Khaldoon, The Muqaddemah, ( An Introduction to History), P.467)
All the mystics are agreed with the Pantheism claim, though it may be expressed in different languages. The only exception is Alaadoleh Semnani who opposed clearly with the claim and has blamed Ibn Arabi for that (Yazdan panah, Principles and Fundamentals of Theoretical Mysticism, P.157). Stace is also regards the Pantheism Theory as a paradoxical theory and is indescribable rationally and logically (Stace, Mysticism and Philosophy, P.264)
So Mevlana can be considered as the greatest writer of Pantheism for all centuries (Franklin, Mulana - yesterday to today, P.507). Of course, William Chittick, believes that Mevlana is considered as the defendant of Pantheism only if (1) we consider Pantheism as a mystical interpretation of monotheism and (2) we consider many of mystical interpretations saying there is nothing only God as Pantheism (Chittick, Rumi and Wahdatol-Wujud, P.125)
Mevlana using symbolic language and subtle allegories on expressing Pantheism outgone his rivals and tried to respond from way of passionate love and spiritual love even theological problems such as compulsion and volition. In fact, the main source of Mevlana's mysticism is enthusiastic love and brilliance. He knows himself as of God tongue and starts his Masnavi with "Neinameh":
Listen to "anseto" be quiet
Be ear, because you don't become the God tongue
In describing his Mathnawi he says:
Our Mathnawi is a shop for unity
(Book II/3456)
Whatever else you see but the Unique, is idol
(Book VI/1528)
As he rhymes some other place:
Concision, polytheism and duality occur
(Book IV/3829)
But in Masnawi is all about unity
Definition of Pantheism
being and unity terminology first used in philosophy and then other sciences including mysticism. According to the historians of philosophy, "unity" word in the first time was used by a philosopher from "Alleali" schism call him Xenophanes. Aristotle says:"It was the whole world that Xenophanes said the One is God" (Aristotle, Metaphysics, P.22). Unity term also used by a philosopher from same schism(Alleali) call him Parmenides (Kapleston, History of Philosophy, P.61)
Although philosophers and mystics believe that unity and being are coextensive (Ibn Sina, Alnejat, P.493, Mahayemi, Mashra Al-Khosoos Ela maani Al-Nosoos, P.256), but their meaning from these concepts are different.
1- The philosophical unity is lateral, but mystical unity is inherent unity.
2- The philosophical unity such as being, for the philosophers is a conceptual and the same type unity while the mystical unity is an individual unity.
3- The philosophical unity is used against multiplicity but for the mystics the unity is a simple matter and inherent and doesn't have any opposite.
4- The philosophical unity is a numeric unity but the unity of the mystics is the Veritable Reality of unity.
The concept of being for the philosophers is an abstract and subjective concept and is an absolute matter which is only exist in mind but being for the mystics, is the truth and external true and its objective concept and based on personal pantheism they believe there is only one true and real existent in the universe and that is the Transcendent Essence of God (Ibn Arabi, Al- Futūohat al-Makkiyya, vol.2, P.405)
How to recognize Pantheism
The mystics have recommended three ways to recognize the Transcendent Essence of God: 1-way of Fear (Asceticism); (2) way of Knowledge (philosophy); (3) way of Affection (love). In Islam some people have chosen asceticism. Imam Mohammad Ghazzali brought the idea to its peak in the fourth century. Ibn Arabi and his student Ghonavi followed the second path using the philosophical and theological terms and Attar, Moulavi, Saadi and Hafiz chose love using poetry and sonnet.
There are two matters for discussion in pantheism: (1) how to prove unity and (2) how to explain the multiplicity. We have two existences: (1) hidden existence which is absolute, indefinite and internal (God); (2) apparent, definite and bounded (creatures). Each of these entifications is objective which is divided into two parts: (1) nonexistent essences and (2) existent essences (Archetypes). The nonexistent essences are the same as constant essences which have proofs not necessarily existence (Ghonavi, Naghdo nosoos Fi-Sharhe lfosoos, P.21)
Moulavi explains the indefinite place of God as he says:
If only existence had a tongue (to speak),
So that it might take off the veils from the existent ones (of this world)!
O breath of (worldly) existence! Whatever words you may say about it,
Know that you have (only) bound another veil upon it.
Those words and feelings (derived from worldly existence) are (adding) a difficulty in (gaining spiritual) understanding
(For) washing (away) blood with blood is impossible and absurd (Book 1/27-4725)
Mevlana regarded humans as nonexistent essences which have appeared thingness of immutability whith absolute existance of manifestation
We are non-existences and our existences,
(While) You are the Absolute Existence which causes we became annihilated.
You showed the delight of existence to non-existence
You made non-existence (to become) Your enamoured,
We did not exist, and there was no demand (from us), Your Grace was hearing our unspoken. (Book I/602-606-610)
No doubt there is multiplicity in the universe (Ibn Arabi, Al-Futuohāt al-Makkiyya, vol.4, P.235) and things and creatures and not delusion and illusion and in this sense the pantheism mystic is agree with the realistic philosopher but disagree with him on justification and interpretation of multiplicity. The philosopher sees the multiplicity a real and true matter as the same he sees the unity and explains the universe based upon the causality and considers it with hierarchy and believes that every position benefits from the truth proportionally with its existential position (Molasadra, Asfar Arbaa, vol.1, P.69). But the pantheism mystic only sees the unity as true and real and doesn't share any contribution for multiplicity but revealing the real One. He accepts the multiplicity as epiphanic form and symbol of unity and interprets and explains the universe based on the emergence by which the universe is single-origin without degrees of existence chain.
Mevlana regards the multiplicities as appearance and symbol of real One and says they are like waves come from a sea and return to it.
The parts seek union with its whole;
Nightingales are in love with the rose's face
That which (is) from the sea is going to the sea; It is going to the same place from which it came As he has said somewhere else:
The sea is one not two or pair (Book 1/768-769)
Its kernel and nature is nothing but the wave (Book VI/2030)
The Monopoly of Causality in God
According to the saying" Nothing is effective in existence but the God' Moulavi says:
The Causative is the reason for any good and evil
No tools or thing has any effect on this (Book V/1554)
He regards God as the real causative and believes the causes as curtains blocking to see this Cause.
These causes are hidden from the eyes
And not every eye can see His art
An eye should see the cause
To uncover the block completely
Only the Causative sees the non-local
The loose regards endeavor, tools and shop
I want a great eye
By which it recognizes the king in any cloth (Book V/ 1551-1554)
similarity and Transcendence of Right
The main conflict between pantheists and theologians is similarity and Gods transcendence. The mystics have denied the mere similarity and absolute transcendence relying on Quran verses and brought up the theory of transcendence as similarity and similarity as transcendence.
The verses such as "The eyes can't see Him and He can see the eyes" and "You won't see Me" point to the hidden name sentences and this is called transcendence position and instead there are the verses such as "In that day there are happy faces looking at their God' and the hadith "I saw my God in the best form" point to the apparent name sentences and this is called similarity position and "Glory be to God for transcendence and similarity" (Matale Al-Iman, P.65)
The mashshaei philosophers explain the universal system upon tenth intelligences hierarchies and each has priority over another according to the "One only emerges One" rule but the mystics believe that God only emerges which is the same all-inclusive being and his manifested inclued all things and it effused on the engendered beings, either those have emerged or those have belonged knowledge to thier exist but still have not emerged (Ibn Arabi, Almarefah, P.86)
The universe is nothing but a symbol of Divine science and includes everything either science or existence as the Prophet of islam said:"There was a God and nothing with Him" (Eajaz Albayan, P.220). It means, God has two effusions: (1) the most holy effusion which causes to emerge the archetypes and (2) the Holy effusion which causes to emerge these archetypes in the universe. Mevlana points out these two effusions exactly:
In the one case, his bounty makes the beggar (causes him to beg),
While in the other case he, (without being asked), bestows on the beggars more (than they need) (Book 1/2749)
That is, he creates the abilities and talents with His the most Holy effusion and creates the containers with the Holy effusion in order to respond those abilities. Mulavi says about emergence of multiplicity of objects with the Holy effusion.
We were expansive and had a core
We were without head and food(tramp)
We were a core as sun
We were without knurl and clear as water
As the pure light emerges
It multiplied as knurl shadows
Destroy the knurl with arbalest
To remove any difference from this team
Moulavi rhymes again:
Sometimes you are a Sun, and then you become a sea; (Book I/ 686-689)
Sometimes (you are) the mountain of Qaf, and then you become the Phoenix (bird).
And much more than that, within your essence, you are not this or that
O you (who are) greater than (what can be conceived by) imaginations,
Both the asserter of (Your Transcendent) unity and the asserter of (Your Immanent) similarity (to created qualities) are amazed by You -
O (You who are) devoid of image and (yet manifesting) with (so) many forms!
(Book II/ 54-56)