Sophistic Manifestations in the Poem 'The Sacred Valley' by Abu Muslim al-Bahlani - An Interdisciplinary Approach -

Abstract

This research highlights intriguing parallels between Sufi discourse and modern physics, prompting an interdisciplinary approach to bridge the two fields. It addresses the fundamental gap between materialistic perspectives, which often dismiss Sufi views as illusory, and contemporary physics, which redefines concepts like existence and nothingness.

The study explores major existential questions—such as the pre-Big Bang state, the universe's nature, and its fate—by integrating Sufi insights with empirical physics. Its methodology seeks common ground between the two disciplines through synthesis and inference.

The core objective is to demonstrate that religion and science originate from a single source with no inherent contradiction. It argues that the lack of logical explanation for certain religious concepts does not justify rejection, as physics may later provide interpretations. The research also aims to offer a rational perspective that deepens understanding of the Creator through logical conceptualization.

The analysis is based on Abu Muslim al-Bahlani's poem "The Sacred Valley" (over 1,500 verses), renowned for its Sufi contemplations on the universe through divine attributes. The study acknowledges its interpretations as provisional, merely attempting to bridge these fields of knowledge toward greater integration.