Mysticism according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is defined as a, “belief in the possibility of union with or absorption into God by means of contemplation and self-surrender; belief in or devotion to the spiritual apprehension of truths inaccessible to the intellect”.
When worshiping a higher power, many different cultures experience the notion of self-surrender or the idea of their body and voice being the voice of God. According to novelist Matthew Fox, when interviewed about his book, Christian Mystics, he explains that, “mysticism is our deep experiences of unity-with nature, with music, with friends, with truth, with God. It is a work of the right brain more than the left brain; it is the essence of authentic religion and it is about experiencing, not intellectualizing”.
Mysticism explores the belief of unity and the notion that mankind are forms or manifestations of the one divine life. If unity is a major factor of Mysticism, then mankind must embody the nature of God, for he is a spark of the Divine. Mysticism is the notion that mankind has the ability of realizing and knowing that God through this godlike part of his own nature, through his/her soul or spirit.
Mysticism focuses on more than just worshiping a God, it explores a deeper connection between man and God. It is finding the union between man and God through divine love. Mystics may be found in every religious tradition, not just Christianity. Sufism, or Islamic Mysticism, deals with powers that are contained in the book called the Qur’an, while also believing in the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. Just as Christian mysticism, Sufism has a more philosophical approach, in regards to, a person becoming one with nature to feel the power of God. Sufism is defined:
Mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seeks to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God. It consists of a variety of mystical paths that are designed to ascertain the nature of humanity and of God and to facilitate the experience of the presence of divine love and wisdom in the world.
There was a famous Sufi writer that introduced and produced famous pieces that illustrated the experience of divine love. Muhammad Jalal al-Din Balkhi, also known as Rumi, was a well-known Persian mystic, he was a scholar, storyteller, poet, and writer. In his works he explored the notion of divine love and the relationship between man and God. His poetry and other writings are inspired from the Quran. Within Rumi’s poetry and other literary works, he reflects and introduces his beliefs with issues such as, faith, prayer, love, and free will. Rumi’s poetry presents certain knowledge of the philosophical idea of mysticism. His recognition of the Beloved and the notion of the divine love illustrates how one may feel a closeness to God.
Rumi, along with other Sufis, believe their voice is the actual voice of God. In Rumi’s poem, ‘The Song of the Reed’ he introduces a common grievance by creating an identity, through the plucked reed. The plucked reed is a voice that was lamenting because of its separation from the flower bed. Rumi used the reed and the flower bed as metaphors of the separation between a lover from the beloved. Kabir Helminski provided one of the many translations of Rumi’s poem and translates,“Ever since they cut me from the reed bed, my wail has caused men and women to weep”. Rumi explores the need for all living creatures to find their way back to their beloved, which in Sufism, is God. He discusses the pain one feels when they are separated from their beloved. “I want a heart that is torn open with longing so that I might share the pain of this love. Whoever has been parted from his source longs to return to that state of union”
Not only does Rumi explore the divine love an individual has for his/her God, he also explores the individuals who fail to reunite with their God. Rumi provides numerous insights into the “man-God” relationship.
According to Cyrus Masroori’s article, An Islamic Language of Toleration: Rumi’s Criticism of Religious Persecution, he states that:
What encourages Rumi to take this less traveled road is his understanding of the man-God relationship, which he finds to have three manifestations: The first manifestation is spiritual conversion. This leads to the love relationship between the individual and God, the most genuine bond in the spiritual domain”.
Rumi believed that a relationship with God was the absolute most important bond for mankind. Along with the love between God and the individual, Rumi also believes that “linguistic expression” is an manifestation. Masroori explains that Rumi believed that, “language is inherently deficient in expressing spiritual experiences, the convert can never linguistically express the spiritual truth that he or she has experienced”. There was also the idea that the relationship between man and God was deeper than religion. “The third manifestation is the institutionalization of the relationship between man and God through religion, whose rituals establish a formal association”. Mysticism searches for a deeper, less formal, relationship with God. It is not just worshiping, praying, believing; it is a strong connection through divine love between man and God.
Rumi produced writings that are widely known in today’s society. One of his major works contained seven sermons that were given in seven different assemblies. Majalis-I Sab’a, provides lectures on the many questions of faith and the ethics of ceremonial occasions. Although, there is no English translation yet, it is still provides insight into the notion of religion and the relationship or bond with God. His work, Fihi Ma fih, consists of 71 oral speeches and lectures that were recorded by his pupils.
