Semantic Study of the Mafateh Alghaib (Unseen Keys) and its Instructive Role through a Mystical Approach

Subject Areas : Islamic Mysticism

Hamidreza  Khademi ¹ (Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, Research Center for Research and Development of Human Sciences, Tehran, Iran)
Vahid  Mahmoudi ² (Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, Research Center for Research and Development of Human Sciences, Tehran, Iran,)

Received: 2021-12-18 Accepted : 2021-12-18 Published : 2021-12-22

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Abstract :

Mafateh alghaib is the Quranic word, derived from verse 59 of Surah al-Anam. The commentators, philosophers and mystics have discussed the meaning and interpretation of it, and this article deals with this subject through a mystical approach. The views of the mystics about the keys-the treasure of the unseen can be divided into two periods, before and after Ibn Arabi. In the period before Ibn Arabi, epistemological and anthropological explanations of the unseen keys are more prominent, and then with the advent of al-Ghazali, the ontological approach to the unseen keys begins, so that he interprets it as the Knowledge of causes. Therefore, al-Ghazali knows only the attribute of Knowledge as Mafateh alghaib. But with Roozbehan Baqli, this approach becomes more mature and detailed. He introduces all the eternal attributes as the keys of the unseen. With the advent of Ibn Arabi, the ontological approach reaches to acme. In the post-Ibn Arabi period, the ontological approach prevails and the keys of the unseen are interpreted as intrinsic Names, levels of existence and mystery of destiny. There are two kinds of views about the possibility of knowledge to Mafateh Alghaib; Some consider it impossible even for the Prophets and Angels, And believe the knowledge of it is in the monopoly of God; And some have also known it for the prophets and the saints, and even some of them have translated Mafateh Alghaib to Shiite Imams (PBUH).