Volume 17, Issue 2 (2026 2026)
JIM 2026, 17(2): 58-74 |
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Radan S, Hashemi Tonekaboni S M. (2026). A Comparative Analysis of the Levels of Time in the Quran, Islamic Philosophy, and Mysticism: With Emphasis on the Ontological, Educational, and Intuitive Structure of Time. JIM. 17(2), 58-74. doi:10.22034.17.2.1
URL: http://erfanmag.ir/article-1-1726-en.html
URL: http://erfanmag.ir/article-1-1726-en.html
Islamic Azad University, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Branch
Abstract: (5 Views)
Time occupies a foundational position in the Quran, Islamic philosophy, and Islamic mysticism, and within each tradition it has been analyzed through hierarchical levels such as Zaman (sequential time), Dahr (perpetual time), and Sarmad (eternity). While various Islamic thinkers have proposed classifications of these levels, a precise mapping of Quranic concepts onto their philosophical and mystical counterparts has received insufficient scholarly attention. This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of the three principal levels of time across the Quran, Islamic philosophy, and Islamic mysticism, addressing the question of how the temporal structure of the Quran corresponds to its philosophical and intuitive counterparts. The research employs an analytical-comparative methodology grounded in the conceptual analysis of Quranic verses. The findings demonstrate that a profound understanding of the levels of time can reveal new ontological, educational, and intuitive dimensions of human existence. In the Quran, the “present moment” is presented as the pivotal axis of spiritual wayfaring and human moral development; in Islamic philosophy, time is intrinsically linked to motion and the gradations of being; and in mysticism, the Hal-e Arfani (mystical moment) constitutes a fourth dimension of spiritual experience. The principal contribution of this study is the formulation of a four-layered model of temporal levels that, beyond theoretical analysis, carries practical and spiritual implications. The findings further indicate that knowledge of these levels not only provides a more precise understanding of resurrection (Qiyamah) and eschatology (Ma’ad), but also guides the spiritual wayfarer (salik) in orienting their path of inner wayfaring and intuitive realization.
Keywords: Time in the Quran, Dahr (Perpetual Time), Sarmad (Eternity), Ontology of Time, Mystical Moment.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
عرفان
Received: 2025/08/3 | Accepted: 2025/09/1 | Published: 2026/06/24
Received: 2025/08/3 | Accepted: 2025/09/1 | Published: 2026/06/24
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