Quran, Culture And Civilization

Quran, Culture And Civilization

The Esoteric Journey of Mūsā (AS) in the Mirror of al-Asfār al-Arbaʿa: An Anfusī Interpretation of the Qur’anic Narrative of Mūsā and Khidhr

Authors
zahra Khalilian 1
Reza Saadatnia 2
1 M.A. Graduate in Qur’anic Sciences and Ḥadīth, Faculty of Qur’anic Sciences of Isfahan, University of Qur’ān and ʿUlūm al-Maʿārif, Isfahan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Qur’anic Sciences and Ḥadīth, Faculty of Qur’anic Sciences of Isfahan, University of Qur’ān and ʿUlūm al-Maʿārif, Isfahan, Iran
10.22034/jksl.2025.488248.1410
Abstract
This article, by emphasizing the esoteric (anfusī) interpretation and aligning the story of Mūsā and Khidhr with Mullā Ṣadrā’s al-Asfār al-arbaʿa, seeks to open a new horizon in the mystical understanding of this Qur’anic narrative. In this spiritual journey, Mūsā symbolizes the self (nafs) and Khidhr represents walāyah, and together they traverse a spiritual path that begins with detachment from the world and movement toward the Truth, culminating in sacred knowledge. The research method is descriptive, analytical, and comparative. First, the symbolic elements and events of the story are analyzed, and then they are aligned with the four mystical journeys. In the first journey (from creation to the Truth), Mūsā reaches unity after finding the perfect master and removing veils; in the second journey (with the Truth in the Truth), he attains divine perfection through annihilation in walāyah; in the third journey (from the Truth to creation), by witnessing Khidhr’s actions, he comprehends divine wisdom and returns with a renewed vision to guide his people; and in the fourth journey (with the Truth in creation), he perceives the manifestations of the Truth within the created world. The findings show that, from an esoteric perspective, the story of Mūsā and Khidhr-beyond being a historical narrative-functions as a model for mystical journeying that harmonizes with al-Asfār al-arbaʿa. This alignment not only deepens the understanding of Qur’anic teachings but also illuminates new dimensions of the human spiritual path toward divine perfection and ultimate truth. Thus, the present study contributes to a clearer understanding of spiritual development and its relationship with Islamic teachings.

Graphical Abstract

The Esoteric Journey of Mūsā (AS) in the Mirror of al-Asfār al-Arbaʿa: An Anfusī Interpretation of the Qur’anic Narrative of Mūsā and Khidhr
Keywords
story of Mūsā and Khidhr
inward (anfusi) exegesis
al-Asfār al-arbaʿa

Subjects

The Holy Quran (trans. Muhammad-Mahdī Fūlādvand).
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  • Receive Date 12 November 2024
  • Revise Date 31 December 2024
  • Accept Date 06 January 2025
  • Publish Date 22 December 2025