The term "Sahv" (spiritual sobriety) is referenced in the teachings of Bayazid Bastami and Junayd of Baghdad. Ruzbehan Baqli Shirazi, akin to many Sufi masters and elders, has explored this concept along his spiritual journey (suluk), delving into its nuances and pres
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The term "Sahv" (spiritual sobriety) is referenced in the teachings of Bayazid Bastami and Junayd of Baghdad. Ruzbehan Baqli Shirazi, akin to many Sufi masters and elders, has explored this concept along his spiritual journey (suluk), delving into its nuances and presenting a fresh perspective on Sahv. This study elucidates the precise meaning of Sahv within the mystical framework of Ruzbahan, categorizing its types, exploring their origins, and delineating their implications within his his intellectual system. Notably, a unique form of Sahv is introduced, exclusive to Ruzbehan Baqli and hitherto unmentioned in Sufi discourse, termed "Ruzbehanian sahv". This form occurs in the spiritual realm of "ain jam" (essence of unity), where one retains sobriety amidst a state of intoxication, exhibiting awareness of this paradoxical state and exercising control over it. Ruzbehan attributes the emergence of this distinct sobriety to the experience of "pure unification" and the spiritual stage of "ain jama", highlighting its divergent outcomes such as unity with the eternal Beloved, expression of ecstatic utterances (shatahāt), and comprehension of Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr - the enigmatic language exchanged between God and prophets/saints.
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