Longing as Devotion: Spiritual Desire and Hallajian Fanâ in the Ghani Khan’s poems The World and Heaven, and the Pious Priest and Madman

Spiritual longing in Ghani Khan's Pashto poetry functions as a form of devotion rather than emotional yearning, according to a qualitative thematic analysis. The study identifies patterns of desire, separation, and ecstatic suffering that align with Mansur al-Hallaj's doctrine of fanā (self-annihilation). Ghani Khan sustains longing as an existential condition that destabilizes the ego and guides the self toward fanā, rather than resolving desire through symbolic union. The paper reconfigures longing as worship, where devotion is enacted through sustained yearning, self-dissolution, and spiritual risk, contributing to Pashto literary studies and comparative mysticism.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper explores the concept of spiritual longing in the poetry of Ghani Khan through the Hallajian doctrine of fanā (self-annihilation), arguing that desire in his poetic vision functions as a form of devotion rather than emotional yearning. While Ghani Khan’s poetry has been widely discussed in aesthetic, existential, and socio-political terms, its engagement with mystical longing as a transformative spiritual practice remains underexamined. Using qualitative thematic analysis of selected Pashto poems, the study identifies recurring patterns of desire, separation, and ecstatic suffering that align with Mansur al-Hallaj’s understanding of longing as a sign of divine presence. The findings reveal that Ghani Khan sustains longing as an existential condition that destabilizes the ego and guides the self toward fanā, rather than resolving desire through symbolic union. By situating Ghani Khan within the Hallajian mystical tradition, this paper demonstrates how his poetry reconfigures longing as worship, where devotion is enacted through sustained yearning, self-dissolution, and spiritual risk. The study contributes to Pashto literary studies and comparative mysticism by foregrounding longing as a central devotional and philosophical principle in Ghani Khan’s poetic imagination.