THE ELEMENTS OF GNOSTIC INSIGHT: THE EXAMPLE OF RUMI MATHNAWI Cover Image

ELEMENTI GNOSTIČKE SPOZNAJE: PRIMJER RUMIJEVE MESNEVIJE
THE ELEMENTS OF GNOSTIC INSIGHT: THE EXAMPLE OF RUMI MATHNAWI

Author(s): Shahriar Soleimani
Subject(s): Theology and Religion, Islam studies, Philosophy of Religion
Published by: Logos – Centar za kulturu I edukaciju
Keywords: knowledge; gnostic knowledge; Mavlana Jalaluddin Rumi; Mathnewi; teacher; heart;piety;

Summary/Abstract: Gnostic insight is a form of a higher perception concerning the human soul and the divine revelation. Using the Rumi Mesnevi terminology, it is the knowledge which stands opposite to the acquired (kasbi) knowledge or imitational perception (ma'refat-e taqlid). This kind of knowledge transforms the soul and promotes human moral properties. The condition for the achieving such knowledge is to remove the curtains and coverings that prevent man to reach the hidden reality. The place to achieve such findings is the human heart. Mevlana Rumi believes that the gnostic journey (suluk) as well as intuition (ma'refat-e shuhudi) are not achievable without a real teacher with a purified heart. The means, however, through which this knowledge is achieved include cleaning and ironing of the soul (tahzib va tazkiye nafs), spiritual exercise (riyazat) and the performing of rituals (ibadat).

  • Issue Year: 3/2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 97-121
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: Bosnian