teymoor malmir; naser mohebi
Volume 6, Issue 1 , September 2016, , Pages 17-36
Abstract
Myths are powerful and stable. They can survive in the toughest conditions by changing their shape and remain alive and active keeping their dynamicity. Much of the issues in mysticism, ...
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Myths are powerful and stable. They can survive in the toughest conditions by changing their shape and remain alive and active keeping their dynamicity. Much of the issues in mysticism, such as customs, tales, stories and gnostic literature, have either emanated from myth or affected by it in other ways. The existence of ancient myths in some Sufis' traditions is a sign of wholesomeness and integrity of these ideas with the teachings of Sufism. To explain the coherence of myth and mysticism, we have reviewed the functions of myth and the ways it has continued in Persian mystical texts up to the end of the eighth century. The results of this study show that mythical thoughts such as salvation, Asha, and the holiness of water and fire as sacred elements has continued to exist according to context of mystical ideas and in the form of mystics`"Keramas"(Miracles).The structure of the mystics`"Magamas" books is also based on the myth of salvation. Initiation rites have been replaced in form of testing pass of mystics through the water or over the fire and in framework of Keramas. The importance of the characters such as Sage, Ghotb and the Abdal is also a form of displacement of myth in the form of Keramas.
