Immortal Echoes, Mortal Words

"Why ʿAṭṭār Still Matters" | Interview with Prof. Claudia Yaghoobi

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Professor Claudia Yaghoobi (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), as she discusses the enduring relevance of ʿAṭṭār, the Persian Sufi poet, and mystic. In this interview, we explore:
Timeline:
00:00 - 01:29 - Intro: Who is Professor Claudia Yaghoobi?
05:08 - Q1: Why ʿAṭṭār? What sets him apart from other Persian mystics like Rumi or Hafez?
22:26 - Q2: Why is social engagement important in Sufism? Against monastic isolation
27:25 - Q3: How does Attar link love and knowledge in mysticism? (ʿIshq and Maʿrifa)
30:32 - Q4: How has ʿAṭṭār’s legacy been received in Iran and the West today?
32:44 - Q5: What role do storytelling and allegory play in ʿAṭṭār’s work?
46:42 - Q6: How does ʿAṭṭār speak to today’s seekers across boundaries and identities?
52:54 - Bonus Q: Is there still space for new research on The Conference of the Birds?
📚 Mentioned Book: Subjectivity in ʿAṭṭār, Persian Sufism, and European Mysticism by Prof. Claudia Yaghoobi
 
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
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#Attar #PersianSufism #Mysticism #ClaudiaYaghoobi #ConferenceOfTheBirds #PersianPoetry #SpiritualAwakening #PhilosophyAndLiterature #SufiPoetry #LoveAndKnowledge

Ep.6. Mystical Supplication: "The Whispered Prayer of Gnostics" (Munajat al-Arifin)

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Co-host: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: Amirmohammad Monjezi https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
🌙 In this episode of the Shi‘i Mysticism Podcast, we explore one of the most beautiful, elegant, and profound supplications in Shi‘i spirituality: Munājāt al-ʿĀrifīn, “The Whispered Prayer of the Knowers of God.” This intimate prayer, written by Imam Zayn al-Abidin a.s. (Imam Sajjad, the fourth Shii Imam), blends theology, gnosis (irfan), and Islamic spirituality into a living path of inner transformation. The whispered prayer teaches that the true path to divine knowledge begins with humility before God’s Essence, recognizing the poverty of human intellect before the Infinite. It then invites the seeker into divine love, ethical purification, and spiritual nearness, painting a vision of hearts set aflame with longing and souls illuminated by the light of God.
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Shi'i Mysticism Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HFFxjOWCPTZXunQ6B_xzBz6&si=kx-T_U38A6wnOQfw
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
 
#ShiismExplained #Irfan #MullaSadra #IslamicMysticism #ImamAliWisdom

Ep.7. Shahriar’s Longing & Lament for Imam al-Mahdi | Shi‘i Mysticism Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Co-host: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
How can mystical poetry awaken us to the deeper dimensions of love, patience, and hope? In this episode of the Shi'i Mysticism Podcast, we explain the moving verses of Shahriar, whose poetry expresses both longing and devotion toward the Perfect Human (insan al-kamil): Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.). This poem, recited in its original Farsi and followed by in-depth English commentary, captures the essence of Persian mystical poetry, Islamic mysticism (irfan), sufism, and Shi‘i eschatology. Shahriar’s lament is not simply about absence; it is a profound meditation on union, separation, covenant, and the spiritual bond that transcends time and suffering. The imagery of roses, nightingales, thorns, and moonlight becomes a language of love, patience, and surrender to divine wisdom. His verses embody the paradox of mystical love—where pain becomes a sustaining force, guiding the soul closer to truth. 
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
Guiding questions:
How does Shahriar’s vision of longing and absence reflect your own experiences of waiting or spiritual yearning?
What does it mean to love without seeking cure or comfort, as Shahriar suggests?
Can pain become a spiritual teacher, and if so, how?
How does Shahriar’s covenantal language with the Perfect Human invite us to think about promises, memory, and faith?
How can poetry serve as a vessel of hope during times of hiddenness or absence?
 
#MysticalPoetry #Sufism #SpiritualWisdom #PoetryExplained #persianpoetry #shiism #shii__thought

Ep.5. Fayd's Qasida: The Forbidden Tree and the Fall of Adam | Shi‘i Mysticism Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Co-host: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
Why was Adam forbidden from the Tree of Knowledge? In Shi‘i Mysticism, the story of Adam’s fall is not simply about sin or disobedience, but about humanity’s longing for divine knowledge. This episode explores Fayd Kashani's Poetic Theo-Mystical Anthropology, uncovering how the Fall represents humanity’s yearning for the hidden wisdom of the Ahl al-Bayt. Through classical Shi‘i texts, mystical commentary, and Persian poetry, we uncover how the Prophet and Imams' theology of light, Islamic esotericism, and Fayḍ’s vision of the Tree of Knowledge reveal profound truths about:
Human limitation and divine hierarchy
Intercession (tawassul) and the names of the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt
The symbolic meaning of exile and return to God
Knowledge as both a danger and a path to salvation
 
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations 
Watch more from Shi'i Mysticism Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HFFxjOWCPTZXunQ6B_xzBz6&si=kx-T_U38A6wnOQfw
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
Guiding Questions:
How do you understand the concept of divine light in Shi‘i mysticism?
In what ways can Imam ʿAli’s teachings transform our perception of the self?
What role does suffering play in spiritual purification according to Shi‘i thought?
How do esoteric interpretations challenge or enrich your view of religion?
What insights did you gain about your soul’s journey from this episode?
#ShiismExplained #Irfan #Shiism #IslamicMysticism #Imamology

Ep.4. The Pre-Creational Realities of the 14 Infallibles | Fayd’s Qasida | Shi'i Mysticism Podcast

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Co-host & Recitation: Reihaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
In this episode of the Shi'i Mysticism Podcast, I explore a powerful qasida poem by the renowned Safavid-era mystic philosopher Fayd Kashani, dedicated to the Fourteen Infallibles. This mystical poem unveils the pre-creational realities of the Prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali, and the Ahl al-Bayt—celestial lights who existed before the material world. Fayd illustrates an emotive poetic narrative on how these divine lights were the first to glorify God, setting in motion a cosmic chain of praise joined by prophets, saints, and angels in a meta-cosmic symphony. The poem reflects on the Muhammadan Light as the first created reality, followed by the Light of Imam Ali, and then the rest of the holy family. As the poem transitions to the creation of the material world, the first physical body formed is Adam—the beginning of the human journey shaped by these divine archetypes. This episode delves deep into Shi'i cosmology, theo-mystical symbolism, and the rich poetic tradition of Fayd.
🔻Guiding Questions:
What is the significance of the Muhammadan Light as the first created reality in Shi'i cosmology?
How does Fayz Kashani’s qasida portray the pre-creational existence of the Fourteen Infallibles?
How are prophets, saints, and angels integrated into this celestial chain of praise according to Fayz’s vision?
In what ways does this poem use mystical language to bridge theology, metaphysics, and poetic emotion?
Watch related videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HFFxjOWCPTZXunQ6B_xzBz6&si=Wg_zcnxozswx_kEx
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from Shi'i Mysticism Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HFFxjOWCPTZXunQ6B_xzBz6&si=kx-T_U38A6wnOQfw
Read my recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
 
#Shiism #FaydKashani #IslamicMysticism #AhlalBayt #Qasida #PersianPoetry #MuhammadanLight #ShiiteTheology #mysticalPoetry

Shams Tabrizi's Nature | The Parable of Hen & Duckling | Discourse 10 from Shams' Maqālāt

Host: Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Recitation: Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Consultant: Mohammad Davoodi 
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
What happens when a soul born of the sea is trapped in the dryness of the barnyard? In this the Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast, I explore a profound parable from Shams Tabrizi’s Discourses (Maqālāt)—the story of the duckling raised among chickens. This discourse conveys a mystical message: true seekers are drawn to divine depth, even when raised in shallow or worldly environments. Shams challenges us to recognize the difference between real spiritual longing and mere imitation. This tale calls us to return to our elemental truth, to leave the comfort of convention and enter the ocean of love and divine knowledge.
🔻 Guiding Questions:
Have you ever felt out of place in the world—like a duckling among hens?
What does this parable teach us about spiritual authenticity versus social conditioning?
How can we discern whether our inner pull originates from a divine source or egoic desire?
What role does the environment play in awakening or suppressing the soul’s true calling?
What does “the sea” symbolize for you in your personal spiritual journey?
 
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
 
#ShamsTabrizi #PersianPoetry #Sufism #SpiritualAwakening #MysticalWisdom

Shams Tabrizi's Discourses (Maqalat) Explained | His Mystical Wisdom, Education, & Identity

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
How does Shams Tabrizi unveil the path to divine truth? In this episode of the Persian Mystical Poetry Podcast, I examine Shams's Discourses (Maqālāt), exploring his complex identity beyond the common labels of "dervish" or "illiterate."
🔹In this video, I explore the following questions:
Was Shams Tabrizi a learned individual or simply an uneducated dervish?
How do we come to know him? Is it solely through Rumi's poetry?
What insights do his Discourses provide about his thoughts, education, personality, and relationship with Rumi?
Do his Discourses confirm or challenge the prevailing mainstream perceptions about him?
⭐ This episode is part of a video series I host: Shams Tabrizi’s Discourses (Maqālāt): https://immortalechoes.org/pages/seasonal-offline-video-courses 
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses 
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
Guiding questions:
How does Shams challenge the authority of formal religious knowledge in his Discourses?
What role does paradox play in Shams’s teaching style?
Is your perspective toward Shams the same after watching this video?
Which idea from this episode moved you the most—and why?
#ShamsTabrizi #Shams_Tabrizi #shams #Discourses #Maqalat #Rumi #Persianpoetry

Ibn Arabi, Mulla Sadra, or Rumi? | Three Paths of Islamic Philosophy, Sufism & Mystical Wisdom

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
How do Ibn ʿArabī, Mullā Ṣadrā, and Rumi represent three unique yet converging paths in Islamic philosophy, sufism, and mysticism? Which thinker should you choose to read and follow? This episode explores their profound contributions to metaphysics, spirituality, and personal transformation—and why their insights matter in today’s world. Ibn ʿArabī introduces us to the School of Realization (taḥqīq), where knowledge is verified through unveiling and the balance of reason and imagination. Mullā Ṣadrā, founder of Transcendent Theosophy (al-Ḥikma al-Mutaʿāliya), unites rational proofs with mystical experience, centered on doctrines such as primacy of existence (aṣālat al-wujūd) and substantial motion (ḥaraka jawhariyya). Rumi, through his Mathnawī, Fīhī mā fīh, and ecstatic Dīwān-i Shams Tabrizi, teaches through stories and love—transforming the heart and guiding seekers to divine unity. These three thinkers represent complementary approaches: the visionary metaphysics of Ibn ʿArabī, the rigorous philosophical synthesis of Mullā Ṣadrā, and the poetic pedagogy of Rumi. Their teachings remain vital for anyone seeking spiritual wisdom, metaphysical clarity, and ethical transformation. Whether you are drawn to proofs, unveiling, or poetic narrative, this discussion will help you navigate the vast terrain of Islamic intellectual and mystical traditions, and decide which thinker suits you most.
Watch our podcasts:
Islamic & Neoplatonist Metaphysics https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HHCQ_3o4OTPPSJPdVK_Tfv0&si=3cEpr7Arya0rqITw
 My latest book: Sarayān: The Real’s Permeation: Ibn ʿArabi on the Divine Presence in the Cosmos with Neoplatonic Insights (available in both digital and print formats): https://immortalechoes.org/pages/our-press
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from our Ibn Arabi Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HG0qkYvbH9dyTAWnncKZGLp&si=sCNGBNjB7RRRIZat
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
Interpretive Questions:
Which of the three paths—proofs, unveiling, or poetry—resonates most with your own spiritual journey?
Do you find Ibn ʿArabī’s emphasis on imagination and symbolic reading relevant in today’s scientific-rational age?
Mullā Ṣadrā’s idea of substantial motion implies the soul is always in transformation. How does this shape your view of personal growth?
Rumi teaches through stories and love rather than arguments. Do you think love can convey truths that logic cannot?
How can these three traditions—philosophy, mysticism, and poetry—complement one another in guiding us toward wisdom today?
Recommended Reading:
Chittick, William, “Ibn ‘Arabî,” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ibn-arabi/]
Rizvi, Sajjad, “Mulla Sadra,” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). [https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2009/entries/mulla-sadra/]
Mojaddedi, Jawid, “RUMI, JALĀL-AL-DIN viii. Rumi’s Teachings,” Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, 2014. [https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/rumi-jalal-al-din-teachings/]
William C. Chittick, “RUMI, JALĀL-AL-DIN vii. Philosophy,” Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, 2017. [https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/rumi-philosophy/]
#IslamicPhilosophy #Sufism #Mysticism #Metaphysics #SpiritualWisdom #IbnArabi #MullaSadra #Rumi

Ep.10 Ibn ʿArabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam, Chapter Two, Episode 6

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Unlock the Hidden Wisdom of Ibn Arabi’s Fusus al-Hikam. Ibn Arabi’s doctrine of wahdat al-wujud (The Oneness of Being/Unity of Existence) is one of the most profound metaphysical ideas in Sufi thought. In this exclusive series, we delve into the esoteric meanings of divine Names, the Perfect Man, and the cosmic mirror of existence, as Ibn Arabi reveals the secrets of creation.
 My latest book: Sarayān: The Real’s Permeation: Ibn ʿArabi on the Divine Presence in the Cosmos with Neoplatonic Insights (available in both digital and print formats): https://immortalechoes.org/pages/our-press
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from our Ibn Arabi Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HG0qkYvbH9dyTAWnncKZGLp&si=sCNGBNjB7RRRIZat
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
Guiding Questions:
Varieties of Petitioners – How do people differ in the way they make requests to God?
Haste vs. Wisdom – What is the difference between asking out of haste and asking in recognition that some divine gifts are only given when requested?
Criticism of Early Sufi Extremes – How does Ibn ʿArabī differ from early Sufis who believed one should never ask anything from God, even relief from suffering?
Contentment and Gratitude – What is the authentic interplay between contentment and gratitude in Ibn ʿArabī’s thought?
Supplication vs. Complaint – Why does Ibn ʿArabī suggest that asking God is not the same as complaining against Him?
The Example of Prophet Ayyūb – How does the story of Prophet Ayyūb (Job) illustrate the balance between patience and supplication?
Destiny and the Destined – How does Ibn ʿArabī distinguish between destiny and what is destined?
Qur’anic Anchor – What point does Ibn ʿArabī make about the Qur’anic verse (2:186): “When My servants ask thee about Me, truly I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me, that they may be led aright.”
Levels of Asking – What distinctions does Ibn ʿArabī make between verbal asking and inner asking?
Divine Response vs. Bestowal – How does Ibn ʿArabī separate God’s answering from God’s granting? Why is answering guaranteed while granting is conditional?
Aptitude as Hidden Asking – What does Ibn ʿArabī mean when he says that one’s aptitude (istiʿdād) is itself a form of supplication?
Surprise in Response – Why might there be a gap between what a person verbally asks for and what they actually receive?
Human Expectation vs. Divine Wisdom – How does this teaching challenge the common human expectation that prayer should yield exactly what is asked?
Practical and Spiritual Implications – How might understanding prayer in light of aptitude and destiny change how one approaches everyday supplication?
 #IbnArabi #FususAlHikam #IslamicPhilosophy #SufiMetaphysics #Mysticism #ibn_arabi

Ep.11. Ibn Arabi & Necessity of Revelation: Hidden Foundations in Chapter 1 of the Fusus al-Hikam

Rasoul Rahbari-Ghazani
Reyhaneh Davoodi-Kahaki
Music: https://www.youtube.com/@amirmohamdmonjezi
In this video, I explore why prophetic revelation is necessary if reason and mystical unveiling (kashf) can access divine truth. In Chapter One of the Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam, Ibn ʿArabī implicitly introduces a metaphysical vision in which reason, unveiling, and revelation form a threefold hierarchy of divine knowledge.
 My latest book: Sarayān: The Real’s Permeation: Ibn ʿArabi on the Divine Presence in the Cosmos with Neoplatonic Insights (available in both digital and print formats): https://immortalechoes.org/pages/our-press
Visit our ⁠Academy of Mystic Poetics and Philosophy⁠, and check out our courses: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/courses
If you enjoy the content and wish to ⁠support our work⁠, your generosity helps us continue creating: https://immortalechoes.org/pages/donations
Watch more from our Ibn Arabi Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqkz7b_183HG0qkYvbH9dyTAWnncKZGLp&si=sCNGBNjB7RRRIZat
My recent publications: https://istanbul.academia.edu/RasoulRahbariGhazani
#IbnArabi #Sufism #IslamicPhilosophy #Metaphysics #Mysticism