In the Sufism of ancient Iran, the quest for the dawning of light in the cosmic North symbolizes the mystic's search for realization. In this spiritual journey, the light arising in man's inner darkness--the Northern Light or Midnight Sun--represents the impartial but brilliant light of Truth, that which sets us free from egotism and from slavery to material existence.

In a penetrating analysis of the writings of the great Iranian masters--including Suhrawardi, Semnani, and Najm al-Din Kubra--Corbin sees an unfolding and continuity of the idea of color and light as symbols of spiritual development. In the course of this study, Corbin constantly relates the ideas of Persian Sufism to the spiritual knowledge of other Middle and Far Eastern religions.