Allegorical Epistemology and Comparison and its Correlation with Asfaar_e_ Arbaae

Abstract

Knowledge is the ultimate goal of creation. Sharia and Islamic mysticism are the two interrelated ways and views of knowledge. The equalization of Sharia and Tariqa has a history from various aspects so, examining the view of these two areas on knowledge and their epistemological structure is of particular importance. The aim of this research is to find an answer to the question: What are the similarities and differences between analogical and Tanzihi epistemology and the mystical epistemology of Asfaar_e_Arbaae? In order to achieve this goal, the library data was analyzed using the comparative-analytical method, first the existing sources were seen about the epistemology of analogy and Tanzihi, and then the essence of Asfaar_e_Arbaae was criticized, and as a result, the findings show that: According to its tools, the knowledge of Asfaar_e_Arbaae method is more stable but the means of analogical knowledge is more limited. Mystical knowledge (through Asfaar_e_Arbaae) is related to properties and the forms of its generalization remain; also, the combination of similitude and transcendence is considered as one of the requirements of traveling in Arbaae’s journeys.