Jalaluddin Ahmad Kasani; Mystical Views and Terms

Jalaluddin Ahmad Kasani (866-949 AH) is one of the famous Naqshbandiyya mystics of Transoxiana who has written more than 30 treatises in the field of mysticism. Most of these treatises are available as manuscripts in various libraries and have been introduced or edited sparsely in a few articles or dissertations. The subject of the treatises is mysticism; in some, the mystical terms are dealt with in the manner of the book Kashf al-Mahjoub; in some, the views of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari are discussed. Of course, special and different mystical views of Kasani can also be found in these treatises. In the present research, which has been done in a descriptive-analytical method, an attempt has been made to examine his mystical views and his definitions of some terms, in addition to studying the treatises. The findings show that Kasani does not follow a specific epistemological model in expressing mystical views and terms and in each treatise, he focuses on a specific topic. In most of the treatises, scattered and repetitive data about some mystical terms can be seen such as annihilation and immortality, absence and presence, etc. His definitions of these terms are sometimes taken from previous books and sometimes made by himself. Kasani is strongly influenced by Rumi in his description of mystical subjects; there are many citations to Masnavi Manavi in his treatises.