Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Religions and Mysticism, Ahlul Bayt International University, Tehran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Ahlul Bayt International University, Tehran
10.22054/msil.2026.90222.1226
Abstract
This research examines the representation and evolution of the mystical concepts of "Rendi" (the free-spirited, unconventional mystic) and "Ghalashi" (the seemingly disreputable or vagabond mystic) in Shiite mystical verse literature, with a focus on the Divan (collected poems) of Aref-e Bojnordi. The concepts of "Rend" and "Ghalash" have long held a prominent place in Persian mystical literature. At first glance, these terms carry a negative connotation, signifying irreverence, trickery, and beggary. However, within the realm of mystical interpretation, these terms are elevated from their lexical meanings and worldly signifiers to celestial signifieds, transforming into symbols for the spiritual wayfarer who has broken free from external constraints, the egoism of the self, and even attachments to the afterlife. This article, conducted through a descriptive-analytical method using library-sourced data, demonstrates—by relying on the poetry of Aref-e Bojnordi—how these concepts evolve into a discourse for expressing "annihilation in the Divine Truth (Fana fi al-Haqq)," "the transition from exoteric law (Shari'ah) to esoteric truth (Haqiqah)," "transcending the self," and ultimately, "Shiite amorous spiritual wayfaring" centered on the guardianship (Wilayah) of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS). The findings of the research indicate that Aref-e Bojnordi, by integrating the conceptual frameworks of Rendi and Ghalashi with Shiite themes such as self-sacrifice and love—particularly in two instances: the disciple-like love for Imam Ali (AS) and the self-effacing, sacrificial immersion in the uprising of Imam Hussein—creates a unique symbolic system. In this system, the "Rend" is a truth-seeing mystic who, in a Ghalash-like manner, treads the path of love.
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