Comparative Mysticism and the Problem of Interpretation: Rumi and Meister Eckhart
Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations March 17, 2015 Saeed Zarrabi-Zadeh 23 citations
Modern comparative studies of mysticism have taken two opposing approaches: essentialist or phenomenologist, which highlights commonalities across mystical traditions, and constructivist, which emphasizes distinctions shaped by different backgrounds. This article proposes an alternative methodology that uses comparison as a tool for clarification rather than imposition, focusing on the specific characters, central themes, and focal points of each tradition. Applying this method to the practical mysticism of Jalal al-Din Rumi and Meister Eckhart demonstrates how comparison can serve as a "mirror" that reveals each tradition's unique features, rather than as a "mold" that forces them into preconceived categories.