The Mystical Passage of Abu Said Abul-Khayr in the Context of the Theory of Rites of Passage

Ritual studies is an interdisciplinary area that encompasses a wide ranges of branches of humanities. According to the theory of rites of passage, the symbolic structure of ancient and mythological religions in different cultures has a specific pattern. The present study, by using an analytical-descriptive method, wants to answer the question that to what extent does the mystical passage of Abu Said Abul-Khayr,  which is reflected in ancient texts such as Tazkirat al-Awliya of Attār and Asrār al-Tawhid of Mohammad ibn Monvvar, correspond to the theory of rites of passage? The mystical passage of Abu Said Abul-Khayr is consistent with the three-phase pattern (separation, transition, and reincorporation) of Arnold van Gennep. Abu Said's mystical journey (suluk) which has been formed through a difficult and ritualistic process and is based on unique doctrinal and practical characteristics, eventually becomes an anti-structure in the Sufism of that time.