Mystical Affirmative Ethics from the Viewpoint of Teresa of Avila and Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī

Subject Areas : Christianity

بخشعلی قنبری ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2012-02-01 Accepted : 2012-04-18 Published : 2011-09-23

Keywords: Affirmative Ethics, virtues, mysticism, modesty, Mystical journey, sincerity,

Abstract :

Affirmative ethic– the collection of virtues and merits in all humansocieties– secures the permanence and consistency of human life. Inmystical approach which aims at experiencing the final core ofknowledge, the affirmative ethic is defined differently. In general, thereis no dichotomy between the affirmative ethic and other ethical issues,but mystics pay more attention to its esoteric dimension than theexoteric one. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582 C.E.) and Jalāl al-dīn Rūmī(1208-1274 C.E.) are mystics of two Islamic and Christian traditionswho have taken much notice of affirmative ethic– concepts such asmodesty, sincerity, forgiveness and etc– in their works and haveemphasized to its importance in the course of mystical journey. ForTeresa of Avila modesty is of the utmost importance, so much that onecould call her mysticism the mysticism of modesty. For Rūmī it isalmost the same. From his viewpoint modesty impedes the penetrationof evil into the seeker’s mind, brings man to the position of kingshipamong the other creatures and grants him the divine union.