The Nature of Mystical Experience Based on Managing the States’ Model

To better understand Islamic mysticism, the mystical experience must be scrutinized accurately. So far, studies have been conducted regarding the nature of Islamic mysticism; each examining mystical experiences and Islamic mysticism, in general, through a certain perspective. Different divisions and types of Islamic mysticism, namely romantic mysticism, pious mysticism, Khorassanian and Baghdadian mysticism, mystical experience and spiritual-path experience are examples of these perspectives. There are also studies which focus on the nature of mystical experience adopting a linguistic approach. Relying on mystical primary sources and based on the mystics’ quotes, the present study divides mystical experience into four categories; preliminaries, teachings, states and speeches, and outer performances, and consider them as components of a cycle which interact with each other to aid the mystic reach the goal. This article also provides a new model which clearly represents the nature of Islamic mysticism. In this model, the extent of mystics’ mastery over the states they encounter is considered one of the reasons for their difference.