MÖMINƏ XATIN AS A METAPHYSICAL SYMBOL OF AZERBAIJANI FEMALE SUFISM: A HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL, AND MYSTICAL ANALYSIS
Sevinj Zakir Abbasova
Baltic Journal of Legal and Social Sciences July 15, 2026 DOI: 10.30525/2592-8813-2026-2-33 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Metaphysics Sufism Symbol formal Realm The symbolic Meaning existential Epistemology Aesthetics Politics Embodied cognition Personality Transcendence philosophy Islamic philosophy |
| Key points | Argues 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. |
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.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |