Document Type : Scientific-research
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The two terms, “faith” and “belief”, due to their common semantic field and widespread usage, are used interchangeably, without clear conceptual boundaries between them, not only among ordinary people, but also among elites, such as some poets and writers. However, they exhibit significant distinctions in their true meanings and concepts. In this regard, “faith holders” and “believers” have obvious differences in their perception of God and the way of communicating with Him, the way of perceiving and interacting with existence, as well as their perception of religion and religious experiences. In contrast to many poets inclined towards mysticism and gnosis who often did not perceive a distinction between faith and belief, Rumi, similar to most of the mystic Muslim intellectuals, places “faith” and “disbelief” in opposition and explicates their origin, causes of creation, and their impacts. In fact, he separates his path from the mystical poets preceding him. In Rumi's intellectual framework, which is similar to the views of philosophers such as Kierkegaard, faith is a fluid and ever-evolving matter, while belief is something fixed and static. Consequently, faith is an unlimited affair stemming from an individual’s experiential inclination towards God and is attained through the spiritual journey of the self. On the other hand, belief is established in community and society, evolving through various means such as individuals, books, documents, and exoteric developments. Faith belongs to the impossible, while belief belongs to the possible affairs. Believers are dogmatic and antagonistic, fearing that others challenge their convictions. However, faith holders are tolerant. Those in faith are always in an endless relationship with God and continue this relationship in love, while others have a transactional relationship with God, viewing their religion as a means to achieve worldly and otherworldly desires.
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