Mysticism Studies in Literature

Analyzing the concept of annihilation in Ghazal before and after the Islamic revolution of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

farzaneh mokhtari 1
محمد خسروی شکیب 2
Mohammadreza Hasani Jalilian 2

1 PhD student of Persian language and literature, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Professor of Persian language and literature, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

10.22054/msil.2025.82675.1154
Abstract
The he mystical concept of annihilation in Iranian and Islamic mysticism represents the ultimate destination of the seeker and the pinnacle of the spiritual journey, leading to eternal subsistence and immortality. For over eight centuries, Persian ghazal has incorporated mystical themes. Although the peak manifestation of these themes in ghazal occurred during the 6th to 8th centuries AH and slightly beyond, Persian ghazal has never been devoid of mystical concepts. Contemporary ghazal, both before and after the Islamic Revolution, and even amidst the tension between tradition and modernity, reflects numerous mystical ideas. Annihilation is one of the key concepts in ghazal across these periods. In this study, using a descriptive-analytical method, the evolution of the concept of annihilation in ghazal before and after the Revolution is examined. The premise is that Persian ghazal has always been imbued with the concept of annihilation; however, its articulation has undergone semantic and conceptual transformations influenced by the Islamic Revolution. The concept of annihilation in ghazal before the Revolution, influenced by classical poets, closely aligns with Islamic mysticism. In contrast, ghazal after the Revolution, shaped by modernist and postmodernist perspectives, shows greater resonance with ideas such as Nirvana in Buddhist mysticism.

Keywords

Persian Ghazal
Pre-Islamic Revolution
Post-Islamic Revolution
Mysticism
Annihilation
Subjects
Mysticism Studies in Literature
Volume 3, Issue 6
(Fall and Winter 2024/2025)
March 2025
Pages 137-172

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