MÖMINƏ XATIN AS A METAPHYSICAL SYMBOL OF AZERBAIJANI FEMALE SUFISM: A HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL, AND MYSTICAL ANALYSIS

Möminə Xatın is presented as a metaphysical symbol of Azerbaijani female Sufism, embodying divine love, illumination, and spiritual proximity. The article examines her as a 12th-century historical figure whose influence extended into moral and spiritual authority. The Möminə Xatın Mausoleum is interpreted as an architectural expression of Sufi cosmology, with its design symbolizing unity, transcendence, and the soul's journey. The concept of 'silent Sufism' describes her non-textual spiritual legacy, conveyed through cultural memory and ethical influence. The work concludes that she represents a synthesis of gender, spirituality, and cultural identity, highlighting women's enduring role as carriers of metaphysical meaning in Azerbaijani and Islamic traditions.

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Abstract

This article examines Möminə Xatın as a metaphysical symbol of Azerbaijani female Sufism through an interdisciplinary analysis combining historical, architectural, and mystical perspectives. Within the broader framework of Sufi philosophy, the feminine is conceptualized as a central metaphysical principle associated with divine love, illumination, and spiritual proximity. The study explores how this theoretical understanding is embodied in the figure of Möminə Xatın, a prominent historical personality of the 12th-century Eldiguzid state, whose influence extended beyond political structures into the realm of moral and spiritual authority. Particular attention is given to the Möminə Xatın Mausoleum as an architectural manifestation of Sufi cosmology. Its geometric design, symbolic ornamentation, and spatial composition are interpreted as expressions of metaphysical concepts such as unity, transcendence, and the journey of the soul. Furthermore, the article introduces the notion of “silent Sufism” to describe Möminə Xatın’s non-textual spiritual legacy, which is conveyed through cultural memory, ethical influence, and symbolic continuity rather than written discourse. The study concludes that Möminə Xatın represents a unique synthesis of gender, spirituality, and cultural identity, demonstrating the enduring role of women as carriers of metaphysical meaning in Azerbaijani and Islamic intellectual traditions.