Abstract

Mysticism is a special lifestyle in which the relationship between the Lord and the servant or the creator and the creature is made possible by walking in certain mystical and spiritual paths. In the Islamic culture, mysticism, as mental and cordial acquisition, is a means of attaining the truth through revelations and self-purification. There is enough historical evidence that mysticism which is based on religious attitudes has been practiced by both sexes, it is, hence, unreasonable to ignore the role of ladies in that regard. In patriarchal societies, females with quite limited presence in social, economic, religious, and political arenas had a marginal role to play and many difficulties to enter the circle of mystics. They finally, however, managed to find their way in and even to surpass males. The present article aims at female mystics in the history and how they got to enter mystics. It is concluded that a number of factors are there to account for this. The most important one is family relationships. In the early era of mysticism, females attended monasteries as eager auditors. They served mystics and supported monasteries by raising charity to meet their expenses. In some sects, they would just attend sermons and make quotation. Little by little, however, they took steps in mystical development and began to train pupils, give sermons, manage monasteries, hold sufi-dance (Sama) ceremonies, set up solidarity organizations for the sake of cooperation, and the like. Some of those females even get to be divine patrons. The difference between attitudes held by lady-mystics seem to be due to the difference between the ways and manners they adapt to practice mysticism.