Investigating Khuransan Mysticism in 9th Century AH from the Perspective of Jonun al Majanin

Jonun al Majanin, written by Ghavam al Din SanjaniKhafi (734-820 AH) is among the Sufi literary works of the early 9th century AH covering invaluable information about the Sufis of that era, religious sects and theological movements as well as the accounts and biography of the author himself, which was penciled with a literary style. The author has tried to make his mystical thoughts and reflections in a questions and answers style, and mostly using symbols and in a simple language understandable for his audiences, and thereby, he has interpreted and explained Quranic verses, Hadiths, mystical expressions and poems. The fable of “Hunting Ground” (or Four Brothers) or the first verses of the Ghazal “that Beauty gave me a sweeper…” are instance of mystical interpretations in Sufi circles of that era reflected in Jonun al Majanin. Khafi, by explaining and criticizing the beliefs of different Islamic sects and also epistemological concepts and thoughts, particularly those about reason and science, their scope and relations with each other, has reduced the mystical theme of Jonun al Majanin and due to his respect to Molavi, in the final section, by mentioning some Ghazals of Shams of Tabriz, has tried his poetic competence in a welcoming way. Jonun al Majanin has been penciled in four chapters titled as Beliefs (Motaghidat), Reflections (Waridat), Events (Waghia’at), and Poems. The present study tries to investigate some parts of the epistemologicalcosmos of Ghavam al Din Khafiby criticizing and investigating mystical accounts and thoughts of this unknown scholar and criticize his Jonun al Majanin based on two newly found and ancient versions by