The symbol of the Veil as the presence of the hidden Divine in Islam's sacred myths, stories and rituals

Symbols are the first and most pervasive way individuals and cultures communicate. They are holders of value and meaning, multivocal and adaptive by nature, and are transformative as they reconcile opposites and establish reality. Symbols are accessed through the imagination and as such can mediate an encounter with the Divine, and convey the mystery and awe of that event. The appearance of the Veil symbol in Islam's sacred myths, stories and rituals often points to an inaccessible theophany; a manifestation of the hidden Divinity. An unveiling reveals recondite attributes of that transcendent reality.;This dissertation concerns itself with the esoteric occurrences of Veil symbology in Islam. Instances of Veil symbolism from pre-Islamic communities are explored briefly to illustrate the pervasive nature of this symbol in and around the Arabian Peninsula. The majority of the research reveals Veil symbolism present in the Qur'an---Islam's foundational myth, in select accounts of accompanying Tafsir commentaries, Hadith literature and traditions, in the gnosis of twelve Islamic saints, sages and poets, and as embodied in the rituals of the Five Pillars.;Symbols augment archetypal ideas. The four categories of archetypal ideas below are employed in this dissertation to elucidate and organize instances of Veil symbolism: • Ascent and Descent; Dominance and Submission; Love Lost and Found. • Suffering, Death and Resurrection. • Divine Authority, Morality and Justice. • Divine Cosmologies and Humanity's Position Within. Symbols are not the archetype itself nor are they signs, metaphors, motifs, or allegories but may be used concurrently to amplify these other modes of expression.;Traditional studies of the sacred often examine a single aspect of a culture's myths, stories and rituals. Conversely, symbology is able to uncover multiple meanings, suggest values, and amplify archetypal ideas. Individual and communal life is enhanced when symbols, such as the Veil, support shared or divergent knowledge, encourage dialogue and suggest new viewpoints, attitudes and ways of being.;Keywords: archetype, myth, veil, unveiling, Sura, Hadith, Tafsir, Sufi, gnosis.