Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journey to God and Its Stages in Ibn Meysam's Outlook

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Reza Elahimanesh 1
alireza Arjmandi 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Mysticism, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
2 PhD student in Islamic Sufism and Mysticism, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
10.22034/jis.2021.207593.1420
Abstract
The depiction of mystical journey until reaching the position of attainment and intuition for the seekers of the truth has been a constant concern of mystics. Using a descriptive-research method, this article seeks to find out how this path is passed from the point of view of Ibn Meysam. According to the findings of the research, Ibn Meysam Bahrani introduces yaghzah (awakening) as the first step of the seeker to intuition and then the firm determination which requires perseverance and struggle and in other words, religious riyazat (austerity). Among other important preliminaries of the journey, he mentions the reasonable and legitimate khalwat (solitude) and ozlat (seclusion) and the choice of the best and purest time for the solitude of man and his beloved. In his view, in order to attain the status of intuition, on the one hand the seeker must strive for moraghabah (meditation), mohasabah (calculation), mo‘atabah (interrogation) and mo‘aghabah (retribution), and on the other hand, for takhliyah (evacuation) and tahliyah (adornment). This is because each of these preliminaries and behavioral and heart stages is necessary for the journey to God counted as the existential preconditions for entering the higher stages of spirituality in order to achieve unseen openings and the position of abdollah (servant of God) and endallah (in presence of god). Ibn Meysam Bahrani considers the perfect man to have the position of full intuition and introduces him as the leader of seekers to God and the holder of the position of guardianship and Imamate.
Keywords
Journey to God
Intuition
Ibn Meysam Bahrani
Explanation of Nahj al-Balaghah
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