Persian mysticism—deeply rooted in Islamic spirituality and expressed through philosophy, poetry, and spiritual practice—developed a rich metaphysical worldview that seeks to explain the nature of Being, God, the cosmos, and the human soul. Its metaphysics is not abstract speculation alone; it is meant to be lived and experienced.
1. Being (Wujūd) as the Ultimate Reality
At the heart of Persian mystical metaphysics lies the primacy of Being (wujūd).
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God is Absolute Being (al-Wujūd al-Muṭlaq).
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All created things possess borrowed or relative being.
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Multiplicity is not truly real; it is a manifestation of the One.
This idea reaches its most systematic form in Ibn ʿArabī’s doctrine of:
Waḥdat al-Wujūd (Unity of Being)
“There is nothing in existence but God, and the world is His self-disclosure.”
Persian mystics did not usually mean pantheism, but rather:
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God alone exists in Himself.
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The world exists through God.
2. Divine Self-Disclosure (Tajallī)
Creation is understood not as a one-time act, but as a continuous theophany (tajallī).
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God reveals His Names and Attributes at every level of existence.
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The cosmos is a mirror reflecting divine qualities.
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Each being reflects a specific Divine Name (e.g., Beauty, Power, Wisdom).
This leads to the famous mystical idea:
The universe is a book written by God
3. Levels of Reality (Marātib al-Wujūd)
Persian mystics describe reality as hierarchical, flowing from unity to multiplicity:
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Ḥaqq – Absolute Divine Essence (beyond description)
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Names and Attributes
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World of Spirits
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Imaginal World (ʿĀlam al-Mithāl)
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Physical World
The Imaginal World is especially important:
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Neither purely material nor purely intellectual
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The realm of visions, dreams, symbols, and spiritual forms
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Central in Persian mystical poetry and symbolism
4. The Perfect Human (al-Insān al-Kāmil)
Human beings occupy a unique metaphysical position.
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The human is a microcosm reflecting the entire universe.
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The Perfect Human manifests all Divine Names harmoniously.
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The Prophet Muhammad is seen as the supreme example.
In Persian mysticism:
God is known through the human heart
Self-knowledge becomes the path to God-knowledge.
5. Love (ʿIshq) as a Metaphysical Principle
Unlike purely philosophical systems, Persian mysticism places Love at the center of existence.
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Creation itself is motivated by divine love:
“I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known.”
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Love is the force that moves the cosmos toward unity.
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Separation and longing drive spiritual ascent.
This metaphysical love is not emotion alone—it is ontological, the reason things exist.
6. Annihilation and Subsistence (Fanāʾ and Baqāʾ)
The spiritual journey mirrors metaphysical truth:
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Fanāʾ – annihilation of the ego and illusion of separateness
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Baqāʾ – abiding in God while remaining in the world
Metaphysically:
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The false self disappears.
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Only Divine Being remains active through the mystic.
7. Poetry as Metaphysical Language
Persian mystics used poetry because metaphysical truths:
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Cannot be fully expressed conceptually
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Must be symbolized and evoked
Key figures:
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Rūmī – dynamic metaphysics of love and movement
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Ḥāfeẓ – paradox, ambiguity, and divine intoxication
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ʿAṭṭār – metaphysical journey of the soul
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Shabestarī – philosophical mysticism (Gulshan-e Rāz)
8. Knowledge Through Unveiling (Kashf)
True metaphysical knowledge is:
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Not rational deduction alone
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Gained through direct inner unveiling
Reason prepares the path, but:
Vision completes knowledge
In Summary
Persian mystical metaphysics presents a universe where:
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Being is one
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Multiplicity is appearance
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Love is the engine of existence
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The human heart is the meeting place of God and world
