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Transcendent Philosophy an International Journal for Comparative Philosophy and Mysticism Editor Transcendent Philosophy Journal Is an Academic Seyed G Volume 12. December 2011 Transcendent Philosophy An International Journal for Comparative Philosophy and Mysticism Editor Transcendent Philosophy Journal is an academic Seyed G. Safavi peer-reviewed journal published by the London SOAS, University of London, UK Academy of Iranian Studies (LAIS) and aims to create a dialogue between Eastern, Western and Book Review Editor Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism is published in Transcendent Sajjad H. Rizvi December. Contributions to Exeter University, UK Philosophy do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or the London Academy of Iranian Editorial Board Studies. G. A’awani, Iranian Institue of Philosophy, Iran Contributors are invited to submit papers on the A. Acikgenc, Fatih University, Turkey following topics: Comparative studies on Islamic, M. Araki, Islamic Centre England, UK Eastern and Western schools of Philosophy, Philosophical issues in history of Philosophy, Issues S. Chan, SOAS University of London, UK in contemporary Philosophy, Epistemology, W. Chittick, State University of New York, USA Philosophy of mind and cognitive science, R. Davari, Tehran University, Iran Philosophy of science (physics, mathematics, biology, psychology, etc), Logic and philosophical G. Dinani, Tehran University, Iran logic, Philosophy of language, Ethics and moral P.S. Fosl, Transylvania University, USA philosophy, Theology and philosophy of religion, M. Khamenei, SIPRIn, Iran Sufism and mysticism, Eschatology, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Art and Metaphysics. B. Kuspinar, McGill University, Canada H. Landolt, McGill University, Canada The mailing address of the Transcendent Philosophy O. Leaman, University of Kentucky, USA is: Y. Michot, Hartford Seminary, Macdonald Dr S.G. Safavi Center, USA Journal of Transcendent Philosophy M. Mohaghegh-Damad, Beheshti University, Iran 121 Royal Langford 2 Greville Road J. Morris, Boston College, USA London NW6 5HT S.H. Nasr, The George Washington University, UK USA Tel: (+44) 020 7692 2491 Fax: (+44) 020 7209 4727 S. Pazouki, Iranian Institue of Philosophy, Iran Email: [email protected] C. Turner, University of Durham, UK H. Ziai, UCLA, USA Submissions should be sent to the Editor. Books for review and completed reviews should be sent to the Book Review Editor. All other communication Assistant Editor: should be directed to the coordinator. Shahideh Safavi, University of London Transcendent Philosophy is published in December. Coordinator: Annual subscription rates are: Institutions, £60.00; individuals, £30.00. Please add £6.00 for addresses Seyed Sadreddin Safavi, University of London outside the UK. The Journal is also accessible online at: www.iranianstudies.org. Layout & Design © London Academy of Iranian Studies Mohamad A. Alavi, www.mediatics.net ISSN 1471-3217 Articles The Structure and Semiotics of Religion and Artificial Intelligence the Second Book of Rumi’s Alireza Ghaeminia [185-200] Mathnawi as a Whole Mahvash Alavi [5-28] Suhrawardi and Mohaghegh Dawani on the Ethics in the Protection of Intuitive Knowledge of Soul Environment Ebrahim Rezaie [201-222] Seyyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Damad [29-54] Transcendence Model of Intellectual Evolution Mulla ‘Ali Nuri as an Exponent of Seema Arif [223-252] Mulla Sadra’s Teachings Janis Eshots [55-68] Foundations and Development of Absurdism in Western A Comparative Study of ‘Faith’ Thought: Reflections from from Kierkegaard’s and Perennialist Perspective Rumi’s Perspective Bilal Ahmad Dar [253-278] Masoumeh Bahram [69-92] Religious Studies and the Fundamentality of Existence Question of Transcendence Aziz Daftari [93-118] Muhammad Maroof Shah [279-306] Mulla Sadra and the Unity and Relationship of Theoretical and Multiplicity of Existence Practical Rationality in the Karim Aghili [119-146] Philosophy of Kant and Mulla Sadra and Some of its Avicenna on Matter, Matter’s Consequences Disobedience and Evil: Reconciling Sima Mohammadpour Dehkordi Metaphysical Stances and Quranic [307-320] Perspective Maria De Cillis [147-168] Mysticism of Ferdowsi’s Some Reflections upon Shahnameh: An International Epic, Islamophobia Mystical and Sagacious Persian as the ‘Totally Other’ Masterpiece Seyed Javad Miri [169-184] Seyed G Safavi [321-332] Transcendent Philosophy © London Academy of Iranian Studies The Structure and Semiotics of the Second Book of Rumi’s Mathnawi as a Whole Mahvash Alavi London Academy of Iranian Studies, London, UK Abstract Mathnawi is the masterpiece of Mawlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi Rumi Khorasani (1207-1273 CE), the greatest Muslim Persian mystic and poet who composed the Mathnawi around seven hundred years ago in Konya. Hitherto the most important criticism in regards with Mathnawi is its apparent lack of structure and plan. However, in this paper, the author aims to illustrate the structure, semiotics and synoptic view of the second book of Rumi’s Mathnawi, which hitherto has never been attempted before. The main theme of the second book is ‘friendship’, “seeing”, “not- seeing” and ‘certainty’ which has been presented in twelve parallel discourses. The sections within each discourse were not planned linearly but synoptically using the literary principles of parallelism and chiasmus. The structure of the second book, which is comprised of, 3810 verses, 111 sections and 61 stories, is constituted of 12 discourses in 3 blocks. The present article is the third chapter of my forthcoming book, titled “The Structure, Semiotics and hermeneutic of Book Two of Rumi’s Mathnawi”, which will be published in December 2011 by the London Academic of Iranian Studies Press (LAISP). Keywords: Rumi, Mathnawi, structure, semiotics, sign, Parallelism, friendship, “seeing and not-seeing” and certainty. 6 Mahvash Alavi Introduction The Second Book of The Mathnawi is comprised of 3810 verses, 111 sections and 61 stories, which based on the synoptic approach and due to the importance of structure, has been divided into 12 discourses. The analysis of each Section was presented in the previous chapter. This chapter will analyse the structure and general relations between the twelve discourses. In this chapter besides showing the close and organized relationship between the discourses, we will portray how Rumi has created a unique and beautiful connected network of spiritual concepts and themes which are actively related and alive in the form of stories that although in appearance seem to be unrelated and scattered, internally are connected and harmonious. The analysis of the discourses that was presented in the previous chapter has made the analysis of Book Two of the Mathnawi as a whole possible. The synoptic structure of Book Two which is demonstrated in the diagram below shows that the 12 discourses have been organized through chiasmus and parallelism. Discourse one and twelve each have twelve sections. Discourse six and seven, which divide Book Two into two sections, each have 14 sections. In the design and form of the discourses there is a definite parallelism which is even, odd, odd, odd, even, even, even, odd, odd, odd, even. The collective sections of the parallel discourses also have numerical symbolic meaning. Discourses one and twelve each have twelve sections which in total comes to 24 sections, and 24 is result of the multiplication of 6 x 4 and 12 x 2 1. Discourse two and discourse eleven have 12 sections, which is the result of adding 7 + 5 and the result of multiplying 6 x 2. Discourse three and ten collectively have 16 sections. Discourse four and nine each have 7 sections and collectively 14 sections. Discourses five and eight each have 8 sections and collectively have 16 sections, and discourse six and seven each have 14 sections, and collectively have 28 sections. Thus, numerical parallelism in Book Two is similar to Book one. This symmetry based on parallel duos is amongst discourses that The Structure and Semiotics of the Second Book of Rumi’s Mathnawi as a Whole 7 are structured based on chiasmus. In the diagram below the number of sections in each discourse is portrayed in brackets. The symbolic meaning of numbers has been covered at the end of chapter one. “It is interesting to notice the way Rumi has used the number of sections in each discourse to produce a significant series and symmetry. The symmetry derives from an important distinction in Islamic Culture between odd and even numbers. In Book One the symmetry is Odd, Even, Odd, Even, Even, Even, (centre) Even, Even, Even, Odd, Even, Odd. In Book Two the symmetry is Even, Odd, Odd, Odd, Even, Even, (centre) Even, Even, Odd, Odd, Odd, Even. The numerologically significant series is derived from adding together the number of sections in discourses which are in parallel. This gives for Book One 18, 30, 18, 40, 40, 24. For Book Two the series is 24, 12, 16, 14, 16, 28. In Book One, the most spiritually significant number foe the Mevlevis is 18, but 12 and 6 are also important; 40 is also spiritually significant in Islamic Culture as in other Middle Eastern Cultures. Thus the series in Book One gives three times 6, five times 6, three times 6, 40, 40, four times 6. In Book Two the series is different and requires the two halves to be seen in contrast and similarity: both contain 16, and a number, 24, 28, and half of that number, 12 and 14. The numerology requires that the discourses be read in parallel and chiasmically, and that is the significance of the numerological precision, to confirm that the discourses are in fact in parallel and chiasmic, the numbers may have spiritual resonances but their purpose
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