The Stages of Mystical Behavior

The spiritual exercises practiced by the wayfarers on the path of Truth should be done in different stages, so that the traveler on the mystical path gradually and rightly realizes spiritual perfection. Most mystics and scholars believe in the existence of seven stages – as number seven is always revered and held sacrosanct in our religious texts and national narratives. Some thinkers, like Ibn Sina, contend that the first step is the seeking or demanding, other philosophers maintain that it is doubt, while others, including Khwaja Abdullah and Imam Khomeini, believe that it is the awakening. Of course, such different views share similarities. The authors of this study will attempt to highlight the frequency of the stages of the Truth path wayfaring as well as discuss the differences and similarities on the stations of wayfaring, while trying to choose the best view on the order of the stages of wayfaring, especially the first stage. Of these stations, the valleys of intention, seeking, repentance and penitence, vigilance, sorrow and annihilation have the highest frequency in the view of authorities.