Authorities of Conduct in Islamic Mysticism and Its Manifestation in Two Paintings of “Dance of Sufis” and “Worldly and Otherworldly Drunkenness”

One of the most important mystical themes are the authorities and stages of conduct. The degrees of conduct are the result of mystical reflections and the discovery and intuition of the Quranic truths and efforts of the seeker. These mystical themes in the period of Iranian-Islamic painting, and especially in the thought and opinions of Islamic rulers and ministers in the Timurid and the Safavid periods have had many reflections, according to which a number of books have been written and decorated with mystical themes and narratives. Among the existing books, Divan Hafez has also been painted and arranged. In this study, two intended paintings of “Dance of Sufis” by Kamaleddin Behzad and “Worldly and Otherworldly Drunkenness” by Sultan Mohammad have been studied in terms of degrees of conducts. The present article aims at examining the manifestation of authorities of conduct in Islamic mysticism and its effect on the illustrations of the two paintings in question. The present study seeks to answer the question: How do the two paintings in question, which are illustrated with a mystical theme, manifest the authorities of mystical behavior in the heart and states of the figures? The research method is descriptive-analytical and the data collection method is based on library and electronic resources. The method of analysis is qualitative. The findings of this study suggest that the two desired images in terms of the manifestation of mystical authorities of conduct, that are the manifestations of deeds and traits and intrinsicality of God, have been illustrated regularly and by visualizing these manifestations in Islamic mysticism and its emergence in the process of figurative states from the lowest position to the highest degrees, and bear a hidden message like reaching from the carpet to the divine throne, and finally reveal the degree of Fana Fi-Allah (annihilation in God). Sufism, which is the esoteric aspect of Islam, is distinct from the outward appearance of Islam, since direct spiritual conduct and divine truths differ from the doctrines that appear in terms of a particular human component in the individual order. Islamic mysticism is one of the sciences related to the higher world and the kingdom that sometimes is a manifestation of human dignity and high degrees of humanity, and this dignity can be seen and experienced in many different ways. The great scholars of science and the masters of intuition have stated many degrees of knowledge in the mystical and divine sciences. In fact, these degrees can only be achieved by conquering the physical aspects in the stages of conduct. These aspects appear in various forms such as vulgarity, greed, and so on, and the seeker, to get rid of their chains and straps, guided by the great teachers and high mystics, relies on the invocations that break him free of the world of evil, and lead him to the kingdom of God. He goes through difficult stages and receives authorities during mystical conduct until the essence of his existence passes through the stage and the steps of the kingdom and slowly enters the world of the Lahout. This degree of the mystics’ conduct is called the safe stage, because it embraces chastity and purity, and the humble and modest ones are going to meet their God.
Throughout history, mysticism, and especially Islamic mysticism, has played an important role in art and decorations. Painting is one of the decorative arts that in its thematic and even its symbolic designs has expressed an aspect of Islamic mysticism, and with its elements of motifs and colors that appear as a mystical speech, has taken his audience to a journey from the low world of Nasut to the inner world of Lahout. The art of painting has undergone a great transformation with the arrival of Islam in Iran and has followed the path of mysticism along with the mystic poets, since most paintings have followed a theme or a poem in the context of their subject matter and have illustrated the story according to the mystical meaning of the poetry verses, while some of them have only used the mystical themes of their time to depict events. This art with a worldly and colorful appearance is a picture of the imaginary world that tries to reflect the heavenly paradise as well as the Lord's presence by the emergence of mystical content and spiritual states. To this end, the artist, with a certain degree of certainty and the help of mystical sciences, has devised a general and partial composition of the painting, and displays its motifs in pursuit of the supreme goal of mysticism and attainment of sincerity, and ultimately, the degree of the Hagh al-Yaghin. The artist has transformed from the inside during the illustration, and standing in the position of human elements, appears in a mystical state within the picture and refines the details.