Anwar-e Ma`rifat

One of the most important missions of mysticism is to explain the stations and stages of mystical journey. So far, mystics have not been able to determine explicitly the number of stages and stations of the path of achieving the ideal aim. There are great differences among them in this regard. The present paper claims that these differences can never be regarded as the sign of the fact that this issue is based on personal preference or inclination; rather, based on different reasons, it can be said that the nature of practical mysticism requires as such. Many reasons can be offered to justify these differences. Difference in invocation in undifferentiated mode or in differentiated mode, difference in authenticity or digressiveness of discussing about stations, difference in beginning and end of mystical journey, taking into consideration the status of one who asks, difference in the criteria and basis of ordering, variety and multiplicity of mystics' experiences of mystical journey, giving or not giving authenticity to particular numbers such as seven, forty, one hundred and thousand, and confusion between stations and conditions can be regarded as the most important reasons for difference in number and order of stations and stages of mystical journey.