Literary Interdisciplinary Research

Analyzing and examining the components of non-verbal communication with an interdisciplinary approach in the written mystical heritage of "Sheikh Abul Hasan Kharghani"

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

mohammadamir obaydinia 1
madineh mahdavi 2

1 Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University

2 PhD student, Persian Language and Literature, Mystical Orientation, Urmia University

10.30465/lir.2025.48635.1851
Abstract
Introduction
Literature has a broad subject matter, and for this reason, literary studies has never been a pure discipline and has always been in contact with discourses from other disciplines. In interdisciplinary studies, researchers try to find answers to questions that specialized disciplines cannot answer alone by creating interaction and logical connections between different scientific disciplines. Communication science is one of the sciences that has recently entered interdisciplinary studies, and the study of its nonverbal form is very useful in literature. Communication has many meanings, both literally and figuratively. In the terminology, it is any type of exchange of information and thoughts between two or more people. On the other hand, humans have needed to communicate with their fellow humans throughout history and have inevitably used words and non-words. Also, verbal communication is the most important means of human communication, and for this reason, humans are called talking animals. Another branch of communication is nonverbal communication, which includes kinesthetics, vocal behavior, chronology, spatiality, appearance, and tactile perception.
Materials & Methods
In this article, in a descriptive-analytical manner and with an interdisciplinary approach, the components of non-verbal communication in the written mystical legacy left by "Sheikh Abul-Hasan Kharghani" in important mystical works including: Nafhat al-Uns, Tazkarat al-Awliya, Kashf al-Mahjoob, Risale-i Qushayriyyah, and Nur al-Ulum are examined and analyzed. The main question of the research is whether there are any signs and examples of nonverbal communication components in Kharqani's statements, and if so, in what direction? Sheikh Abul Hasan Kharqani was born, died, and was buried in the village of Kharqan near Bastam. He lived in this village his entire life, and supported his family and the monastery through his own labor and agriculture. Kharqani's words preserved in Nur al-Ulum and other sources demonstrate great mystical power, but at the same time they are devoid of any formal grace, scholarship, or theological discipline.
Discussion & Result
According to the definition of communication scientists, communication is a process, meaning it is dynamic and constantly changing. Experts in psychology and communication define the concept of communication in a general sense as follows: Communication is the art of transferring information, thoughts, and human behaviors from one person to another. In general, each person uses various means to establish relationships with others and express their needs. What has impressed sociologists more than anything else in the past is the way in which an individual can influence others through their communication and presence. This type of communication can be observed in Sufi circles of monasteries, and from it we arrive at a kind of collective communication. In these communities, the master is at the top and the disciples are at the bottom and are influenced by his words and actions. In fact, the concern of literary researchers is how to examine communication in literary texts. To examine a process such as communication, one must first stop it, like a camera, with the difference that in a photograph the interaction between elements is not visible. In literary texts, the process of communication also stops, but, on the contrary, words try to keep actions and reactions alive. As Hawakawa says: Words are not things themselves; they are just a map that we can use to navigate, to explore the realm of the world. On the other hand, language itself is a process because it is changing. In using language for a process such as nonverbal communication, one must use specific words. The physical world must be frozen in a specific way. Communication goes beyond the exchange of words. In fact, communication can occur without any words at all. Nonverbal communication is communication in which concepts and meanings are exchanged between people through body movements, such as facial expressions, looking, laughing, crying. Nonverbal communication is examined from various perspectives, such as: physical appearance, gestures and movements, facial and eye behavior, bodily behavior, vocal communication, eloquent communication, environment and place, time, food and drink, and music and dancing. In this article, we examined these components in the sayings of Sheikh Abolhassan Kharghani.
Conclusion
Great mystics such as Sheikh Hassan Kharghani, like all humans, were aware of the importance of communicating with other humans, and despite the advice to remain secretive towards outsiders and unworthy people, they communicated with the seekers of the path in their own unique way. By examining Kharghani's statements in terms of nonverbal communication, his ability to communicate nonverbally, along with his simple and straightforward speech, was clearly revealed. The component of physical appearance in people, occupation, clothing, body parts, and food was the establishment of nonverbal communication. The component of gesture and movement, specifically in hand and head movements such as raising the head and waving the hands, could be divided and examined. The component of facial and eye behavior was reflected in verbs such as turning, seeing with the eyes of the head, dreaming, and spiritual seeing. The specific behavior of the eye, i.e. crying, was also found in his sayings in various forms, such as the crying of men and the crying of sinners. In examining the component of physical behavior, some behaviors were religious and worshipful, such as praying, wearing a turban, and special behavior for the feet has both a mystical meaning and the meaning of a person's normal behavior. Vocal communication is the most frequent and widely used component of non-verbal communication in Kharghani's sayings because the basis for writing these sayings in mystical books was the establishment of vocal communication between the sheikh and his disciples and seekers of the path. Many examples were also found for the types of this component, namely accent, tone, whisper, pitch and inflection, silence, and speaking rate. Also, in the communication component of the Sufis, there was a kind of culture and limits in establishing this type of communication among Sufis. In the components of place and time, religious culture had a direct effect. In examining the musical component, mystical listening was one of the most controversial practices that has both supporters and opponents among Sufis. All findings indicate that Sheikh Kharghani's theological teachings are intertwined with his practical teachings, which are manifested in the context of non-verbal communication.

Keywords

Prose mystical literature
non-verbal communication
Sheikh Abulhasan Kharqani
Noorul Uloom
Interdisciplinary research
Subjects
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