A Comparative Study of Ghiyath al-Din Dashtaki’s and Ayatollah Javadi Amoli’s Views on the Factors of Spiritual Wayfaring from a Foundational Perspective
Comparative Theology June 10, 2026 Mehri Mehrabi Fodani, Sayyed Hossain Vaezi, Azam Rejali
This comparative study examines how two Islamic thinkers, Ghiyāth al-Din Dashtaki and Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, conceptualize spiritual wayfaring. Both view the spiritual journey as a structured ascent integrating rational contemplation, ethical discipline, and mystical experience, culminating in unity with the Divine. Dashtaki proposes a tripartite model of preparatory virtues, principal foundations, and complementary perfections, while Javadi Amoli emphasizes poverty, guardianship, and four symbolic journeys, adding a social dimension. Despite historical and intellectual differences, the authors argue their perspectives converge on a theocentric model where mystical insight is inseparable from philosophical reasoning, illustrating continuity across Islamic intellectual traditions.