A Comparative Study of Ethical Values (Patience, Contentment, Trust in God, Submission, and Love) from the Mystical Perspective of Khwāja ʿAbdullāh Anṣārī and Their Comparison with Imam Khomeini

Abstract

This study undertakes a comparative examination of five ethical and mystical values and stations—patience (ṣabr), contentment (riḍā), trust in God (tawakkul), submission (taslīm), and love (maḥabba)—from the perspectives of two eminent Islamic thinkers, Khwāja ʿAbdullāh Anṣārī and Imam Khomeini. These stations, as the core elements of the mystical path, play a foundational role in shaping ethical conduct, psychological tranquility, and the servant’s devotion to God. Drawing upon classical Sufi texts, the philosophical–mystical works of Imam Khomeini, and Qurʾānic and ḥadīth commentaries, the present study seeks to articulate the theoretical, spiritual, and practical dimensions of these stations. The findings indicate that despite differences in expressive style and epistemological approach, both figures conceptualize these stations as pathways for the transition from self-centeredness to annihilation (fanāʾ) in the Divine Will: Khwāja ʿAbdullāh Anṣārī emphasizes experiential intuition, inner states of the heart, and immediate mystical experience, whereas Imam Khomeini analyzes these stations within the framework of tawḥīdic cognition, unity of acts (waḥdat al-afʿāl), and ontological witnessing (shuhūd al-wujūd). The comparative analysis demonstrates that these five stations constitute a coherent and systematic structure of spiritual and ethical transformation, guiding the seeker from the stage of self-discipline and moral purification to the stage of annihilation and proximity to God. By offering an integrative analysis, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the theoretical and practical dimensions of Islamic mysticism and provides a foundation for future research in the fields of ethics and mystical wayfaring.