The concept of time in Islamic mystical thought, especially in the works of Ayn-ul-Qudsat Hamadani, moves away from the linear structure common in philosophy and moves towards a cyclical and recurrent understanding of existence. This article aims to examine the structure of cyclical time in Ayn-ul-Qudsat's works, especially in the book "Introductions", and attempts to show how this prominent thinker views time not as a continuous and linear flow, but as a circle of emergence, progression, and return to the origin. The research method in this study is qualitative and analytical, which uses primary mystical sources, especially Ayn-ul-Qudsat's works, and compares it with other mystical and philosophical perspectives, to analyze the conceptual and structural nature of time in his thought. The necessity of this research stems from the fact that understanding time in Islamic mysticism, especially in the view of Ayn al-Qudsat, can provide a deeper understanding of existence, man, and the path of mystical conduct; this view can also provide a spiritual and ontological perspective in contrast to modern and mechanical views of time. The main question of the research is: “What is the position of cyclical time in the thought of Ayn al-Qudsat Hamadani and how is it connected to the concept of the circle of existence and return to the origin? The findings of the research show that Ayn al-Qudsat, relying on mystical teachings, considers time to be a circle of issuance and return in which man is issued from the truth and returns to the truth after going through the stages of conduct. This return is not the end but the beginning of true survival in the essence of the truth. In this structure, time becomes a tool for the existential journey of man, and the circle of existence symbolizes the unity of beginning and completion in the divine realm. The result of the research indicates that the circular time in the thought of Ayn-al-Qadat not only redefines the structure of existence, but also invites man to a deep reflection on his existential path and return to the origin.
Keywords: Circular time, Ayn-al-Qadat Hamedani, circle of existence and return.

Introduction
The concept of cyclical time in Ayn al-Quds’s thought is fundamentally linked to the theory of emanation, unity of existence, and the mystical journey of man. Influenced by the teachings of Ahmad al-Ghazali, al-Hallaj, and the Ishraqi tradition, he sees existence as a circle in which everything emanates from and returns to the truth. This emanation and return is a circle in which time, space, individuality, and even causality find meaning and then disappear in the divine realm. In this structure, man is not a being caught up in time, but a traveler who comes from eternity and returns to eternity; a traveler whose every moment is a mirror of truth. Therefore, the present article, focusing on the structure of cyclical time in the thought of Ain al-Quds, attempts to analyze this perspective conceptually and ontologically, and to examine its connection with the theory of emanation, unity of existence, and the mystical journey of man. The main question is how time in Ain al-Quds's thought moves away from a linear format and becomes a circle of existence and return? And what effect does this transformation have on man's understanding of existence, conduct, and ultimate destination? Also, this article attempts to show how this perspective can lead to a redefinition of the human experience of the moment, death, return, and meaning in dialogue with modern philosophies, especially existentialism.
Materials and methods
This research is of a qualitative and theoretical (analytical-interpretive) type, conducted with an interdisciplinary approach between theoretical mysticism, Islamic philosophy, and mystical linguistics
Discussion & Result
In Islamic mysticism, time is not a physical extension but a quality of presence. The present moment is the meeting point of eternity and the point of manifestation of truth. “This moment is not a part of linear time, but a circular point where the past and the future are dissolved in absolute presence” (Shafi’i-Kadkani 2001: 235). In this view, time is not linear and chronological, but circular and qualitative; because the past and the future are dissolved in the moment of presence. This view overlaps with Ibn Arabi’s thought about the “now” and with existential philosophy about the “moment of choice.”
“If you have understood the present, you have understood everything; for the present is the point where eternity and eternity are gathered” (Tamhidat: 135)
This sentence introduces the present moment as a circular point; where the past and the future are dissolved. With this statement, Ayn al-Qadat removes time from its linear state and transforms it into an experience of absolute presence. The now is not a part of time, but all of time.“The breath in which you are, if you perceive it, your whole life is in that breath” (ibid.: 142)
In this sentence, a moment of presence is considered equivalent to the entire life of a person. This view shows that mystical time is not quantitative but qualitative. Every breath, if accompanied by intuition, can contain the whole of existence.
“Those who are in time are outside of time; for time is not a container but a presence” (ibid.: 109)
The same judgments with seemingly contradictory words show that real time is not something external but an internal experience. Time, in this sense, is not a tool for measurement but a state of connection with reality.
Conclusion
An analysis of the cyclical structure of time in Islamic mysticism, particularly in the thought of Ayn al-Qudsat al-Hamadani, shows that time in this intellectual tradition is not a linear extension from the past to the future, but rather a cycle of return from plurality to unity. This structure is based on four fundamental components: intuitive time, the theory of issue and return, the unity of existence, and the existential experience of the present moment. Each of these components is expressed in the text of the provisions in symbolic, superficial, and intuitive language, and together they present a picture of time in which every moment is an opportunity to return to the origin and realize presence.
Using metaphors such as circle, light, nothingness, mirror, and gate, Ayn al-Qudsat transforms time into a cycle from issue to return; a cycle in which man issues from the truth, walks in the darkness of plurality, and ultimately returns to the light of unity.This movement is not merely ontological but also behavioral and epistemological, because with each step the seeker gets closer to the center of the circle.
In this structure, the present moment has a special place, because it is the meeting point of eternity and the point of manifestation of truth. Time, in the view of Ayn al-Qadāt, is not a collection of fleeting moments, but rather fields of presence and intuition in which the seeker can transcend heedlessness and return to truth. This view also overlaps with existential philosophy and shows that cyclical time is the structure of decision, choice, and meaning.
Finally, it can be said that the cyclical structure of time in Islamic mysticism, especially in the arrangements of Ayn al-Qadāt, is not only a theoretical model but also a model of mystical life; a model in which man is placed in the orbit of meaning, presence, and annihilation, and existence is not linear but a circle of emergence, intuition, and return.This perspective forms the foundation of mystical experience and enables a new understanding of time, existence, and man.