Analyzing the relationship between language and mystical experience from a constructivism perspective Case study: The image of the “bride” in the works of Ruzbihan Baqli

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Faculty member of Persian language and literature department of Shiraz University

Abstract

One of the main images in Ruzbihan's works, especially in his two main books, namely Abhar al-Asheqin, and the Sharh-e Shathiaat is the image of the "bride". On the other hand, Ruzbihan, in his revelations that he reports in the book Kashf al-Asrar, frequently sees God, the prophets and the angels, and himself in the face of the bride. This article tries to explain the connection between these two phenomena, i.e. the frequent existence of the image of the bride in the language of Ruzbihan in his theoretical books on the one hand and the seeing of the bride in his mystical experiences on the other hand based on the theory of constructivism. The theory of constructivism in mystical studies expresses the idea that the mystical experiences of a mystic are formulated by his mind and language, and no mystical experience is made independently of the mystic's previous mental and linguistic models and patterns. The mystic, therefore, experiences in his mystical experiences what has already been placed in the realm of his mind and his language. From this perspective, it can be said that knowing the key metaphors and images of the language of a mystic is the key to understanding why he experiences such revelations.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Prose Studies in Persian Literature
Volume 25, Issue 51
June 2021
Pages 113-131

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