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Mirzaei D. (2024). The Issue of Manifestation in Islamic Calligraphy; Relying on the Principles of Refinement and Dignity. Parseh J. Archaeol. Stud.. 8(29), 387-410. doi:10.22034/PJAS.8.29.387
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/mbp/article-1-994-en.html

Abstract
The concept of “manifestation” (Tajalli) is one of the fundamental concepts of Islamic wisdom and mysticism, which has its roots in the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the innocents (peace be upon them), and from this passage, it enters the tasteful language of Muslim mystics, especially Ibn Arabi, pay special attention to it. they do. With this description, since the issue of manifestation in art finds a special place in mystical discussions and since one of the basic principles of the art of calligraphy is indeed “refinement” (Sh’an) and until the rust is not removed from the heart and refinement is not achieved, an image in it will not be manifested; Therefore, it seems that through the expression of this concept of manifestation, a close bond is established between mysticism and calligraphy. Based on this, the current research has tried to answer these two questions: 1. What is manifestation and what is its place in our sacred and mystical texts? 2. What is the relationship between manifestation and the theoretical foundations of Islamic calligraphy, especially “refinement” and “dignity” (Safā)? In order to reach a clear answer to these two questions and to establish a bridge between mysticism and Islamic calligraphy and to find the mystical dignity of “manifestation” in it, therefore, first the meaning of manifestation in religious sources such as verses and narrations was discussed and then in mystical texts (according to Ibn Arabi and mystics before him) has understood its meaning. In the following, the category of sanctity in calligraphy is discussed and based on the twelve principles governing it (according to the text of Babashah Isfahani’s Adab al-Mashq), the connection of “manifestation” with “refinement” and “dignity” in Islamic calligraphy and its relationship with its beauty (Hosn) is examined.
Keywords: Manifestation; Principles of Refinement and Dignity, Islamic Calligraphy.

Introduction
The fact is that there are not many sources about the wisdom of the origin of calligraphy and the investigation of its intellectual foundations among different Islamic nations. Therefore, there is no escaping the issue of having an opinion on the intellectual foundations of some Islamic sages and thinkers, although of course they have not directly addressed this specific issue and their talk has always been art in general. But what stands out more than anything else in the study of the wisdom of Islamic art is its wealth of terms such as intuition, presence, manifestation, imagination, discovery, dignity, love, etc. These terms find a special place among great people such as Suhrawardi, Ibn Arabi, Mulla Sadra and others. Meanwhile, the issue of “manifestation” in art has a special place in his mystical discussions. Therefore, it seems that since one of the very important principles of calligraphy (among its twelve principles) is indeed “dignity” - and a special meaning is meant by it and it is the foundation of the next stage, namely “dignity” - there is an inseparable relationship between mysticism and Calligraphy is in place. Therefore, the main preoccupation of this article is to find convincing documents and proofs related to the keyword “manifestation”, both in sacred and mystical texts and in texts related to calligraphy, to prove the mentioned claim. Based on this, the present research pursues two specific questions: 1. What is manifestation and what is its place in our sacred and mystical texts? 2. What is the relationship between manifestation and the theoretical foundations of Islamic calligraphy, especially refinement and dignity?

Discussion
Holiness has a long history in Islamic calligraphy. Undoubtedly, calligraphy has taken its sanctity from the Qur’an, which, as the first and most glorious Islamic art, has actually been the closest companion to the Word of Revelation. References in the Holy Qur’an such as “Nun. By the Pen and the [Record] which [men] write” (Qalam, 1) and the use of words such as tablet, pen, chair, line, cut letters, etc. also confirm this sanctity. Calligraphers in this position, knowing this sanctity, pay attention to the beauty of their handwriting so that the truth hidden in words is not hidden in the image form of calligraphy and is revealed in the best way. Calligraphic writing is not the same as calligraphy, but it implies a meaning, and the external role is to express a hidden role. Rumi has mentioned this in this regard: “No calligrapher writes line by technic/ The same line is not readable” (Rumi, 2013: Book 4). On the other hand, the wisdom of Islamic art, with its mystical base, is full of terms such as intuition, presence, manifestation, imagination, discovery, dignity, love, etc., which cannot be expressed and interpreted except with the language of judgment, and the audience as well. If he is not familiar with this language, he will not be able to understand it. With this description and according to the opinions of Islamic mystics - the most important of which was given in the first part of this research - the manifestations of holiness in the lives of Muslims are revealed. By generalizing his opinions to the field of religious art, Islamic art and sacred art, we can find the mysteries in Islamic calligraphy. The juxtaposition of the old popular myths with the opinions of Islamic thinkers, symbols, codes and its influence on Sufi intellectuals and popular culture, all lead to the discovery of relationships that show the sanctity in this art more than ever before.

Conclusion
The current research has clearly sought answers to two questions: 1. What is manifestation and what is its place in our sacred and mystical texts? 2. What is the relationship between manifestation and the theoretical foundations of Islamic calligraphy, especially dignity and dignity? In order to reach a clear answer to these two questions and establish a bridge between mysticism and Islamic calligraphy and find the mystical dignity of “manifestation” in it, the meaning of manifestation in religious sources such as verses and hadiths was first discussed. We saw that in this regard, this concept occurs in the most obvious way possible in the noble verse 143 of A’rāf, which is known as “the manifestation verse”. With this meaning, it is from manifestation that the divine names and attributes appear in the world and explain the nature of God’s relationship with his creatures. In addition to the Qur’anic verses, in many Islamic traditions, relying on those verses, especially “the manifestation verse,” God’s relationship with creation is mentioned, especially in sermons 108 and 147 of Nahj al-Balagha, where God manifests himself to his creatures, without them seeing him. And this is where the difference between manifestation and incarnation in Christianity is established. In addition to verses and traditions, this concept finds a special place in mystical texts, especially Ibn Arabi, which is one of the pillars of answering the above questions. Of course, with the mystics before Ibn Arabi (such as Hasan Basri, Rozbahan Baqli, Bayazid Bastami and others), manifestation has an intuitive meaning, meaning that the seeker goes through the states and mystical Authorities one by one with the intuition of the actions, attributes and nature of the Supreme Being. According to Ibn Arabi, a metaphysical (existential) meaning is also meant by it, which explains the system of existence and the way of connecting truth and creation and the connection of the world of multitudes with the absolute unity of truth. While discussing this concept, Ibn Arabi discusses the heart, which is the bearer of divine manifestations, and maintaining its dignity is the duty of the seeker, so that the heart does not have dignity, and the names and attributes of the Most High do not manifest on it. The existential meaning of manifestation according to Ibn Arabi is that for the appearance of different levels of beings, the existence of the absolute one must be determined through manifestation. In the manifestation of absolute existence, the general image of single existences emerges, which he interprets as “Khams”. These gentlemen are the bearers of God’s manifestation, and according to that, the world of the kingdom is the manifestation of the world of the kingdom; The world of the kingdom is the manifestation of the world of strength; The world of strength is the embodiment of the world of nobles; The world of nobles is the manifestation of the divine names (Vāhediat) and the unity is the manifestation of unity. Thus, man has the ability to be the embodiment and full-view mirror of the existence of truth and manifest his truth in the mirror of the human heart. It is from here that we can enter into the discussion of Islamic calligraphy and its connection with manifestation. Apart from the issue of sanctity of calligraphy in Islamic culture, which on the one hand is based on its connection with the writing of the Qur’an and on the other hand, from some Qur’anic verses, referring to texts such as Adab al-Mashq by Babashah Esfahani, in which he enumerates twelve principles for good calligraphy, the eleventh principle It, i.e. “refinement” clearly has a mystical element and is derived from the eternal quality of the human heart according to the likes of Ibn Arabi, to the extent that it manifests itself in the rusted mirror of the human heart. Therefore, “dignity” with all its mystical meanings in the basic form of the principles of calligraphy and is described as a stage that polishes and refines the heart to manifest or reflect the goodness of God, and the sincerity of the word is to say Sultan Ali Mashhadi: “The dignity of the line is the result of the dignity of the heart”.