A Review of Mystical Humanology
Human beings understand their existence and have innate self-awareness. That is, they know that they exist and are different from other beings. This relative awareness is the starting point for the questions that have been raised since ancient times and still occupy the human mind today.
In fact, as soon as we take a break from our daily activities and are alone with ourselves, we face fundamental questions about our essence, the reason for our presence in this world, our relationship with other creatures in the world, etc.
These Questions actually form the basis of Self-knowledge or Humanology, but different people react differently to these questions.
Some people are so preoccupied with worldly affairs that they see no reason to pause and answer such questions. They ignore these questions and leave them unanswered. Some may take the path of reason and experience to find the answers to these questions. Some others take the path of the heart. If you see that your heart has taken the lead and your intellect is following it, do not become surprised: you are observing the realm of mysticism and intuition!
Mystical Intuition
Self-knowledge and the existential potentiality of humans are among fundamental concepts in mystical discussions. Mystical intuition is a kind of intuition that mystics attain after going through inward and outward austere practices.
This kind of intuition has characteristics that set it apart from other approaches to humanology:
- The experience cannot be expressed or described.
- It brings about a kind of knowledge for the mystics that does not necessarily correspond to the level of their intellect and reasoning.
- The experience is temporary.
- The mystic feels a lack of willpower when experiencing it.
In simple terms, mysticism uses the principles of intuition and spiritual insight as the foundation for its reasoning, and then tries to explain them with rational language. Some people believe that mystical intuition can never be interpreted, so it is impossible to express it through the language of reason.
How to Find the Right Path in Life?
Mystical knowledge is a kind of knowledge that originates from the human heart, and it can only be achieved by purifying and refining the soul. That is why we cannot acquire it from the outside. Mysticism is a type of awareness that originates from within because it is a presential[1] and conscience-based knowledge.
We need to distinguish between true spiritual knowledge and false schools of thought here. In fact, whenever spiritual knowledge has been built upon rigid foundations, it has led to the growth of human beings, while when it has been based on baseless ideas and mere experiences, it has led to the downfall of humanity.
That is why some mystics have based the principles of their deeds on religion and Sharia.[2] They believe that a person who seeks the truth through intuition must first learn the principles of his religion in order to be protected from harmful thoughts and misguidance.
Different Schools of Mysticism
Mystical humanology is actually the result of the answers that mystics give to the questions related to humans. When examining mystical humanology, we see various currents, each of which has its own followers within a certain region, culture, or religion. In this article, we will discuss mystical humanology by introducing a few well-known schools of mysticism and their viewpoints on the human being.
Islamic Mysticism[3]
Islamic mysticism considers the human being to be the most comprehensive manifestation of God and all His names and attributes. In fact, mystics consider the human being as a small universe and the universe as a great human being. That is because what is unique to humans cannot be solely found in any other creature, yet the characteristics of other creatures are present in humans.
In Islamic mysticism, human beings are not merely earthly beings. The essence of human beings belongs to another realm, and ultimately they will return there. Their original homeland is not this world, and the divine spirit has been breathed into their bodies from elsewhere; for this reason, they feel alienated and estranged in this world.
In general, Islamic mysticism can be divided into two main parts:
The first part is theoretical mysticism that deals with the interpretation of the universe and discusses God, the world, and human beings. The second part is practical mysticism that regulates the relationships and duties of humans with themselves, the world, and God.
In fact, the key distinguishing factor of Islamic mysticism compared to other types of mysticism is the way it looks at the perfect human.[4] Islamic mysticism has a spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and inner relationship with the perfect human, so reaching the status of the perfect human and walking in his path can be considered the main goal of Islamic mystical humanology. Of course, understanding the status of the perfect human is a prerequisite for reaching this level.
Classification of Islamic Mysticism
Islamic mysticism works towards the completion of human knowledge as far as it goes according to the authentic mystical criteria such as intellect and Sharia; conformity of spiritual findings with reality; having a spiritual master; the unbroken chain of transmitting spiritual knowledge and practices, etc.
But when one is involved in deviated currents such as misguided Sufi practices, heresy, superstition, ignorance, opposition to Sharia, negligence and laziness in the implementation of Sharia law, Samaa,[5] Ghena,[6] moral deviations, etc., it cannot lead the individuals to their desired destination, but rather it leads to their downfall.
For this reason, there are three groups of mystics in Islamic mysticism:
- The first group consists of the leaders of Sufi sects and Qutbs,[7] who do not have the necessary scientific, religious, and mystical knowledge; they mostly focus on rituals and outward expressions of belief that are commonly observed in the sect.
- The second group consists of the theorists of theoretical mysticism, who are among the prominent scholars of Islamic jurisprudence and have no affiliation with Sufism.
- The third group includes the theorists who are mostly among the Shias and follow the stages of spiritual journey towards God using the teachings of the Household of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUT).
Jewish and Christian Mysticisms
During its evolution, Christian mysticism has been influenced by external sources such as Jewish heritage, the influence of the Old Testament, figures such as Philo,[8] and internal sources such as the Gospels, the mystical teachings of Jesus Christ, Paul,[9] John,[10] and others. But perhaps the most influential factors in the development of Christian mysticism have been the Jewish heritage and Greek philosophy.
In Christianity, it is believed that the original sin of Adam caused his descendants to be sinful by nature and that all humans are born sinners.[11] Jesus Christ was crucified to redeem humanity from sin and bring about salvation.[12]
In Christian faith, mysticism is a way to achieve union with God, which according to their belief, is possible by understanding and considering the Trinity. In fact, the doctrine of the Trinity is in contradiction with Christian monotheism;[13] it states that God the Father, who is the creator of heaven and earth, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ, are all the One God. The ultimate goal of Christian mysticism is to achieve love.
Eastern Mysticisms
Among the most important Eastern mysticisms, we can mention Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism believes in the cycle of rebirth and holds that people’s actions in their past lives determine the nature of their future lives. The goal of spiritual endeavors and mystical journey in Hinduism is liberation from both suffering and the cycle of rebirth.[14] To achieve this liberation, one needs to know oneself.
In general, Buddhist mysticism holds the belief that existence has three characteristics: instability, suffering, and emptiness. One who sees everything in the universe as empty, unstable, and mortal reaches enlightenment and is freed from the cycle of rebirth. Buddhist wisdom introduces the Eightfold Path as a means to achieve liberation and enlightenment.
False and Newly-Emerged Mysticisms
New mystical schools, such as Osho, Coelho, Interuniversal Mysticism (Halqeh), etc., have emerged, which lack firm foundations. They use slogans, such as human liberation in the new world, tranquility, and connection to the truth of love. This expresses the need of modern humans to get rid of the pressures and frustrations of life in industrial societies. It also shows that human beings in contemporary times have turned to spirituality.
Some of these sects claim that they have benefited from the sources of other religions, and some are not based on any divine revelation. Opposition to religion, claims of Satanism, denial of the afterlife, sexual freedom, and other ideas such as these are sometimes found in these emerging mysticisms. These issues will lead to nothing but the downfall of individuals, and the spread of anxiety and confusion.
In this article, we discussed mystical humanology and the characteristics of spiritual unveiling and intuition. We listed the influential mystical movements and their viewpoints on human beings.
Finally, if you want to know which method of humanology can help you better understand the essence, characteristics, and ultimate goal of human beings, we recommend reading the article “A Review and Comparison of Various Approaches to Humanology.”
If you have any experiences or opinions about encountering various mystical traditions, we would be grateful if you could share them with us.
[1]. Presential knowledge is the knowledge arrived at without the mediation of concepts and mental pictures; that is, the reality of the known object is present within the knower. Presential knowledge is a type of gnostic and intuitive knowledge, in which the external reality [and not the mental concept] of an object is witnessed.
[2]. a religious law forming part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam, particularly the Quran and the hadith.
[3]. https://themuslimvibe.com/faith-islam/a-study-of-the-five-realms-in-islamic-mysticism-the-quran-and-narrations-long-read
[4]. https://www.al-islam.org/perfect-man-murtadha-mutahhari
[5]. Samaa is an Arabic term for the music or listening parties arranged by Muslim mystics in the belief that music serves as spiritual nourishment (qūt-i rūhānī ) and attunes one’s heart to divine communion.
[6]. Ghena refers to singing in a manner that involves undulating the voice, which is typically used for sinful gatherings or events. According to Islamic teachings, engaging in and listening to this type of singing is considered forbidden under certain circumstances, such as when it incites desire or leads to sinful behavior.
[7]. In Sufi thought, a Qutb is a human manifestation of divine consciousness, only one of which exists in any age, and around whom the spiritual life of the age revolves, that is, through whom spiritual knowledge is gained.
[8]. Philo Judaeus ( Hellenistic Jewish philosophe)
[9]. Paul the Apostle
[10]. John the Apostle
[11]. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-the-biblical-evidence-for-original-sin
[12]. https://insight.org/resources/article-library/individual/how-does-the-death-of-jesus-save-me
[13]. https://www.academia.edu/38820954/The_Contradiction_Between_Trinity_and_Monotheism
[14]. https://www.hinduismtoday.com/hindu-basics/karma-and-reincarnation/