A Reflection on the Conceptual Correspondence between ‘God’ and ‘Nature’ in Makhzan al-Asrār of Niẓāmī, Based on the Philosophical Views of the Ancient Greek Sages

This study investigates the conceptual correspondence between “God” and “Nature” within the intellectual framework of Niẓāmī Ganjavī, particularly in Makhzan al-Asrār. From this perspective, Niẓāmī’s thought and poetry are fundamentally intertwined with the doctrines of the ancient Greek sages, and the natural elements in his works are not merely worldly signs but manifestations of divine presence and human cognition. Employing a descriptive–analytical and comparative method, the research first examines the views of pre-Socratic philosophers—including Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, and the Stoics—on the relationship between “God” and “Nature.” It then analyzes selected verses from Makhzan al-Asrār to reveal the manifestations of the Divine in natural elements such as the sea, the spring, the firmament, the sphere, and the celestial dome. The findings demonstrate that in Niẓāmī’s worldview, God is not only the Creator but also an immanent presence within the sensible world, and that nature, through its mediating function, enables humanity’s recognition of and approach to the Absolute. Moreover, by integrating philosophical and theological doctrines, Niẓāmī establishes an interactive relationship between the material and the transcendent, interpreting both suffering and pleasure as means of human perfection. This research fills a scholarly gap in studies of the God–Nature correspondence in Persian poetry and opens a new horizon for epistemological and comparative theological inquiries.

کلیدواژه ها:

God ، Nature ، Makhzan al-Asrār ، Niẓāmī ، Ancient Greek Philosophy