Dervish Ideology

In the Jalali Khaksar dynasty, there are signs, traits, and rules for the dervishes some of which included moral virtues. To understand these virtues, we seek help from “Nasiri Ethics” book and we mention the explanations of this valuable book briefly.

“Chastity, generosity and courage are not good,

Except from the wise man and

Do not run out of conditions,

Except by wisdom,

Each deed,

In exact place,

On exact time

As needed and

Uses as good intention.”

Khajeh Nasir-o-din Toosi

The three forces that are the principles and entries of actions and works which lead to the exploitation of thought, sight, discernment, and desire. They are listed as below

The power of speech/the power of comprehension of reason and distinguishing between the interests and corruptions of actions that are specific to human beings. The power of perception is also called the royal soul, the confident soul, and the angelic soul.

Erotic power or lust power is the source of attracting benefits, seeking food, drink, stewardship with the opposite sex, and other phenomena which is common between humans and animals. Lust power is also called attraction soul/spirit of lasciviousness.

The anger power is the source of repelling losses and the desire to dominate, promote, and gain more prestige and courage. The anger power is also called unattraction soul/ blame soul.

The difference between man and animal and the relations among mentioned three souls

The difference between man and animal included the power of reason perception, the distinguishing, and realizing of what which leads to different phenomena such as distinguishing gracefulness from the unpleasantness.

It is necessary to unite the other two souls (the attraction and unattraction soul) with rational perception, as if all three are one thing intrinsically, the expected power and effects from each will be issued in its exact time. If the other two souls were not for rational perception itself, there would be strife and opposition which leaded to the elimination of all three.

The perfection of the human soul is in strengthening the power of perception, and its deficiency is in strengthening the power of the attraction and unattraction soul.

The knowledge and wisdom virtue and its types

If the angelic soul desire is to acquire certain knowledge and not to what he thought was certain and to be in moderation, then the movement makes knowledge and wisdom virtue, which includes:

• Wit: Speed in concluding theorems and easiness in extracting results.

• Purity of mind: The ability to extract the desired without anxiety and worry.

• Speed ​​of understanding: Moving from effect to cause without pause and procrastination.

• Virtue of reason: in discussing and discovering any truth, the limit must be kept so that it must be neither neglecting nor excessing.

• Ease of learning: The soul achieves a limit to pays attention to the desired by preventing the various dangers (such as justification and purpose) to its totality.

• Proviso: It records the items of which wisdom achieved by intellect or illusion has acquired by the power of thought/imagination or abandoned them.

Recall: Using teachings easily whenever needed.

- The courage virtue and its types

Whenever the movement of the unattraction soul is moderate and if it’s obedient to the rational perception, and it is satisfied with what the rational perception prescribes for it and does not exceed the limits; in his/her condition, virtuous movement of courage arises, which includes:

- The arrogance of the soul: The unattraction soul should not pay attention to its greatness and humiliation and it should not think less or more of thought, but it should consider the possibility of good/bad phenomena.

- Bravery/Courage: The attraction soul will be confident in its stability so that it does not become impatient and restless in fear and irregular movements are not issued from it.

- Asceticism: The attraction soul won’t be happy nor sad in search of the happiness/cruelty of this world, so that it is not afraid of death.

- Stability: The unattraction soul has the strength to resist pain and frustration so as not to be broken by the occurrence of alike.

- Patience: To achieve peace for the soul so that anger does not easily provoke it, and if something disgusting reaches it, it does not roar and shout.

- Calmness or lack of humility: The unattraction soul should not be humiliated in order to protect its sanctity and support the path.

- Courage: The unattraction soul must be interested in providing great things and conditions to achieve good deeds.

- Tolerance: The unattraction soul uses physical instruments in order to acquire good deeds.

- Humility: He did not consider his unattraction soul as an advantage over those who are inferior to him in position.

- Protection or zeal: The unattraction soul should not fail to protect its nature, sanctity, or anything that is obligatory to protect it.

- Misery, tenderness, or compassion: The unattraction soul should be affected by observing others’ pain so that there is no anxiety in his actions.

The virtue of chastity and its types

Whenever the movement of the unattraction soul/spirit of lasciviousness was in moderation and he obeyed, he received the angelic soul and he did not oppose himself. This will cause chastity virtue which include the followings:

- Modesty: It’s Limiting one's unattraction soul when refraining of committing an indecent deed in order to avoid blame.

- Compassion/meekness: Humility of unattraction soul in things which happened for the pleasure of the God.

- The goodness of guidance: To complete unattraction soul itself with good deeds along with ornaments of sincere desire.

- Peace/compromise: The unattraction soul should be good in times of conflict between different opinions and different situations of power so that anxiety does not lead to it.

- Complacent: The unattraction soul should be inhabited at the time of arousing lust and it must be the owner of his rule.

- Patience: The unattraction soul resists against his will so that obedience to unpleasant pleasures is not issued from it.

- Satisfaction: The unattraction soul will easily learn to eat, drink, wear, etc., and it will be satisfied with what prevents it from being harmed and no more.

- Dignity: When the unattraction soul aroused towards the content, it should be calm in order to avoid haste, and it should provided that the desired is not lost, whether it is absorbing benefit or repelling harm.

- Piety/continence: The unattraction soul should be steadfast in good deeds and it should not neglect itself.

- Orderliness/organization: The unattraction soul gives priority to deeds based on necessity and goodness.

- Freedom/liberty: Acquiring wealth in pleasant paths, spending it on good deeds, and avoiding acquiring wealth in unpleasant ways.

- Generosity: Giving property and necessities should be easy so that it should be given to the deserved people as it should and as much as it should which includes generosity, sacrifice, forgiveness, chivalry, grace, helping, giving, and forgiving.

The virtue of justice and its types

When these three kinds of virtue are obtained and all three are mixed with each other and make peace; from the combination of all three, a similar state will arise that perfection and all those virtues belong to it, and it is called the virtue of justice. It includes as following:

• Honesty: It’s a sincere love which provides comfort and it will sacrifice everything possible for it.

• Familiarity: It will Collect opinions and beliefs to help each other to manage livelihood.

• Faithfulness: The necessity to be with friends and deserved people by helping them. It’s not allowed to leave this helping.

• Compassion: It’s being aware of someone’s problems and it must be tried to avoid difficulties.

• Bonds of relationship: He must participate in worldly charities with relatives.

• Retribution: He must compensate the kindness that they did to him as much or more, and He compensates less than did to him in bad things.

• Goodwill in participating: Trading should be in moderation as it agrees with others.

• Goodwill in Judgment: Compensation for the good and bad deeds should be free from mercy and remorse.

• Seeking friendship: He should be being a person with grace, welcoming, and affable.

• Surrendering: He must be surrendered happily by the acts of the God, even if several people didn’t agree with it, and, even if it does not agree with his opinion.

• Reliance: In works that the power, adequacy, and human knowledge are not adequate, he will not accept excess, deficiency, haste, and delay and they don’t want to act against what it is.

• Worship: Bowing and glorifying his creator, those close to it, and its obedience.

Moral vices

Every virtue has a limitation and when it exceeded that limit, it is a vice, either on the side of exaggeration (overdoing) or on the side of fault (underdoing). Therefore every virtue has two kinds of vices, because virtue is in the middle and it has two deviations on both sides; So, if there are four virtues, there will be eight vices.

Overdoing	Moderation (Virtue)	Underdoing
Unwise (Stultify)	Knowledge	Ignorance (Foolishness)
Restive (Pertinacious)	Courage	Fearing (Scaring)
Greeding (Gluttonous)	Chastity	Lust dejection (Lust subsidence)
Extortion (Injustice)	Justice	Being oppressed (To be injusticed)