Document Type : Biannual Journal
Author
Abstract
The relationship between mysticism and religion is an important one. Some have argued that mysticism is not religious in nature and can’t be reconciled with religion; hence, some groups have adopted mysticism and parted from religion while other have strictly adhere to religion and got in quandaries with mysticism. Those who consider mysticism reconcilable with religion have different opinions on the relationship they entertain. Some have argued that mysticism is the essence of religion while other have considered it an element of religion. We suggest that the relationship between religion and mysticism must be assessed by the study of their nature. In the current article, we argue and demonstrate that mysticism is not against religion nor foreign to religion; it is not like religion, nor an element of religion, but rather is the esoteric dimension of religion. With this perspective, numerous questions and ambiguities related to the relationship of mysticism and religion are answered and their respective nature becomes clearer. Moreover, we also suggest a methodology for distinguishing between authentic and unauthentic forms of mysticism.
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