A comparative study of the concept of "guidance" in the Quran and Islamic mysticism with the theories of spiritual guidance in other religions

Guidance (Hedayat), as one of the fundamental concepts in religious and mystical texts, plays a key role in explaining the path of human spiritual evolution. The aim of the present research is the comparative and analytical study of the concept of guidance in the Holy Quran, Islamic Mysticism (Erfan-e Eslami), and other religions. This research seeks to clarify the similarities and differences present in these concepts and to analyze the connection between guidance and human spiritual perfection within different religious traditions. In the Holy Quran, guidance is divided into two parts, formative (takvini) and legislative (tashri'i), and is presented as a path to reach divine perfection. In Islamic Mysticism, guidance is considered a concept related to the spiritual path (suluk) and intuition (shuhud), which is actualized through divine attraction (jazbeh), gnosis (ma'refat), and the mystical journey (seyr-o suluk). In other religions, this concept is linked to principles such as divine grace in Christianity, the Law (Sharia) in Judaism, and liberation from the cycle of rebirth in Eastern religions.

The research findings indicate that the Holy Quran, in addition to emphasizing legislative guidance and human free will in accepting guidance, also points to an intuitive and inner aspect which aligns with mystical teachings. Furthermore, guidance in Islamic Mysticism is presented as a personal and intuitive experience in which the seeker (salik), by passing through various stations (maqamat), attains the divine reality. In comparison with other religions, guidance in Islam is defined as a reciprocal relationship between God and human beings, which is realized through revelation (vahy), reason (aql), and the mystical path (suluk).