MÖMINƏ XATIN AS A METAPHYSICAL SYMBOL OF AZERBAIJANI FEMALE SUFISM: A HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL, AND MYSTICAL ANALYSIS

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.