A Critical Assessment of Published Articles in Ayn al-Qudat Studies in Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.A. in Persian language and literature, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22059/jpl.2026.421420.2395
Abstract
This article seeks to critically assess articles published on Ayn al-Qudat Hamadani in Iran from the inception of research in this field through the end of 1404 SH, with the aim of identifying and analyzing the deficiencies and shortcomings of these studies. The critical assessment reveals six major problems: (1) Repetition of previously established findings: Many authors, without adequately reviewing the existing literature, have failed to introduce new arguments or findings and have instead reiterated the results of previous studies. (2) Fragmentary treatment and reliance on a single work of Ayn al-Qudat without considering his overall intellectual system: Many researchers have examined various topics primarily on the basis of Tamhidat while neglecting his Letters. This shortcoming is particularly problematic in studies of mystical terminology and analyses of the mystical interpretation of Qur’anic verses and hadiths, leading to studies of limited scholarly validity. (3) Lack of structural and argumentative coherence: Some articles in this field are disorganized and lack a coherent line of argument, consequently failing to arrive at clear and systematic conclusions. (4) Failure to observe academic integrity: Some authors have directly or indirectly drawn upon the arguments, materials, and findings of previous studies without providing appropriate citations. (5) Redundant and derivative publication: Some authors have extracted portions of their previously published articles and presented them as new studies, thereby reproducing previously published material. (6) Publication of substantially similar studies in other journals and conference proceedings: Some articles have been published elsewhere with essentially similar structures and content. A systematic examination and analysis of these shortcomings can contribute to the production of more original, rigorous, and methodologically sound scholarship on Ayn al-Qudat in the future.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 11 October 2026