Saeed Famil Dardashti; Mehdi Akbari Ghuzhdi
Abstract
Undoubtedly, Khwajah Nasir al-Din al-Tusi stands among the exceptional scientific geniuses of the Islamic world. This prominent figure was an authority in various sciences such as philosophy, ...
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Undoubtedly, Khwajah Nasir al-Din al-Tusi stands among the exceptional scientific geniuses of the Islamic world. This prominent figure was an authority in various sciences such as philosophy, theology, logic, mathematics, and astronomy, and his scientific theories often possess an innovative and foundational character. Among Khwajah Nasir al-Din al-Tusi's scientific works, the book Awṣāf al-Ashrāf holds a special position in the field of mysticism and practical spiritual wayfaring (suluk). Notably, Khwajah al-Tusi, who is primarily recognized as a theological-philosophical scholar, appears in this work as a distinguished mystic, expounding rather comprehensively on the stations and stages of the path in practical mysticism. Consequently, his work can be presented as a coherent system and model for practical mysticism. In this work, Khwajah al-Tusi introduces a system of mystical conduct with specific components such as "intention (niyyaht) and reflection (tafakkur)", "truthfulness" (ṣidq), "repentance/return to God" (inābah), "love" (maḥabbah), "vigilance (muraqabah) and self-examination (muḥāsabah)", "sincerity" (ikhlāṣ), "divine unity" (tawḥīd), and others. The aim of the present article is to elucidate each of these components and subsequently evaluate them against the criteria of philosophical wisdom (ḥikmah) and rational demonstration (burhān). This analysis seeks to reveal the rational and demonstrative aspects of these components, demonstrating that, contrary to certain perspectives, there is no inherent contradiction between practical-mystical instructions and rational teachings.
