fateme soleimani
Abstract
IntroductionGod as the creator and lord of humans, and as All-Provider (razzāq), is in charge of providing for human primary basic needs, as in the Qur’an God promises to make basic provisions for everyone. The promise led some people to think that humans have a right to receive provisions ...
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IntroductionGod as the creator and lord of humans, and as All-Provider (razzāq), is in charge of providing for human primary basic needs, as in the Qur’an God promises to make basic provisions for everyone. The promise led some people to think that humans have a right to receive provisions from God, expecting that God should optimally and fully provide for human needs. For this reason, the difference in people’s provisions has led to questions concerning divine justice.The problem with which this paper is concerned is why God has allotted different amounts of provisions to different people, instead of giving different people equal shares of provisions. Moreover, if allotment of provisions is attributed to God, why is it emphasized that people try hard to gain provisions?These questions have frequently been raised in religious milieus throughout the history, often with the intention of casting doubts on religious beliefs by questioning divine justice, since different provisions for different people are thought to be at odds with God’s justice.A number of papers in the field of Quranic sciences have been written about this problem, which are based on the views of Quranic exegetes, on which we draw in this paper. The contribution of this paper is that it offers a philosophical consideration of the problem in terms of Avicenna’s philosophy, particularly his essay on provisions (Risāla fi-l-arzāq). It is noteworthy that the problem was not tackled by any other Muslim philosophers. In Islamic philosophy, God’s attribute of All-Provider is mentioned in passing as an attribute of action—it is at most defined and reduced to divine attributes of essence such as knowledge, wisdom, and power. Avicenna deals with the problem of provisions in his Risāla fi-l-arzāq. This is an essay attributed to Avicenna. Over 20 manuscripts of the essay are available in libraries, and its attribution to Avicenna has not been a matter of dispute.The essay is concerned with questions about divine justice and how to treat people’s differences in their provisions in these terms. Avicenna explicitly deals with the problem in terms of a debate. In line with his Peripatetic framework, he considers different aspects and possible results of the question, as illustrated with numerous examples.In this paper, I provide an account of Avicenna’s remarks here given his general theoretical framework as explicated in other works of his. I also offer criticisms of his account. Taking account of the views of Quranic exegetes concerning the problem, I offer my own account of the problem.Discussion and ConclusionsIn order to reconcile two groups of Quranic verses in one of which the allotment of provisions is attributed to God and in the other the attainment of provisions is conditioned upon the human labor and efforts, one might offer the following account: in a monotheistic view, provisions are ultimately allotted and distributed by God, but this is in terms of unchanging traditions in accordance to the divine wisdom. In the best or optimal order and the dynamics of the universe, human wills and the amount and quality of their labors and efforts play roles in the expansion or diminution of one’s provisions. For obtaining a desirable provision, a set of conditions should be satisfied and certain grounds should be prepared.Given one’s material and spiritual possessions, which are in turn from God, every person tries to obtain provisions by drawing upon one’s insight, intelligence, as well as spiritual and material capitals. The better one performs in utilizing one’s opportunities the more provisions one attains, and the more negligent and indolent one is in using one’s existential and material capacities and the more vulnerable one makes oneself to unpredictable economic circumstances the more deprived one will be and the more futile one’s efforts will turn out to be, in which case one will have a diminished provision. In this way, God the Wise has established laws and traditions in the creation in such a way that everyone can attain his or her own share of provisions with their mental and physical capacities, without there being any injustice.In his “Essay on provisions” Avicenna has dealt with the problem of the difference in people’s provisions and its bearing upon the divine justice. In this essay, he tries to rely on divine wisdom and grace to correct wrong conceptions and establish divine justice in the measurement of people’s provisions. Through an articulation of the contradictions involved in different aspects of the problem, Avicenna shows that the idea of exactly equal provisions leads to an impossibility or the human destruction.
Hadi Vakili; Parisa Goudarzi; Mahbube Amani; Ali Akbar Ahmadi
Volume 2, Issue 2 , October 2011, , Pages 1-16
Abstract
The present article investigates Mutahhari's "new theology". First, we present Mutahhari's view of theology, according to him, the divine station of God implies that He does have a direct influence upon things, in order words, His creation must be understood as the creation of a divine ordering system. ...
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The present article investigates Mutahhari's "new theology". First, we present Mutahhari's view of theology, according to him, the divine station of God implies that He does have a direct influence upon things, in order words, His creation must be understood as the creation of a divine ordering system. In his new theology (influenced by Judaism and Christianity), God is considered a blind and deaf force, which has no influence upon thing, human destiny being predetermined and unchangeable.
Seyyed Ali Alamolhoda; Mahdi Mohammadzadeh
Abstract
In Avicenra's Thought and in the three steps, from Farabi to Mirdamad, intelligibles have been divied to primary and secondary. And secondary intelligibles have been divided to logical and philosophical. but basis on some principles of Mulla Sadra's philosophy we must present another idea for division ...
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In Avicenra's Thought and in the three steps, from Farabi to Mirdamad, intelligibles have been divied to primary and secondary. And secondary intelligibles have been divided to logical and philosophical. but basis on some principles of Mulla Sadra's philosophy we must present another idea for division of intelligibles. According to Mulla Sadra's existentialism, the primary intelligibles can't have any instance in the reality. Because the essence is unreal. Basis on the equivocalis of the existence, the beings could just be placed in the extended relation to each other. And the essences coud just be absteracted by the mind from their Levels of their existences. So according to these principles the essences as the most important of primary intelligibles can't exist in Mulla Sadras philosophy. And so the secondary intelligibles couldn’t be recognized against them. Furthermore, in this essay will be shown that the criterion of universality isnt immateriality but it is generality(inter subjectivity). And we introduce a new group of intelligibles as kantian categories. As they are aperiori concepts that the mind can see the reality through them. So it will be emergent to display a new division for universals
Hadi Vakili
Volume 1, Issue 2 , March 2011, , Pages 107-119
Abstract
No doubt mysticism is the essence of religious experience and this experience for both those who have religious beliefs and those who have not such beliefs typically causes changes in life. Regardless of the difficulty of describing the mystical experiences which seems very far from the conceptual framework ...
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No doubt mysticism is the essence of religious experience and this experience for both those who have religious beliefs and those who have not such beliefs typically causes changes in life. Regardless of the difficulty of describing the mystical experiences which seems very far from the conceptual framework of normal moods, it appears that the similarities among the various religious traditions for various mystical states can be outlined. These similarities include: the experience of unity, the feeling of being beyond time and space, sense of sacredness, a sense of joy and happiness, unity and awareness of the public with a vacuum and an eternal ultimate reality. Mystical states can be divided into two distinct categories: transcendent and immanent. Though Mysticism and spiritual meditation have some considerable similarities to each other, but they certainly look different. These two mystical tendencies in east & west religious faiths in the world to be seen with difference. Differences over the interpretation of mystical experiences may be caused by cultural and linguistic differences and distinctions. Psychological interpretations, neuro psychological and cognitive science of mystical experiences of the research approach is innovative in the world.
Akhbarati Hamide; Shahram Pazouki
Volume 7, Issue 3 , November 2016, , Pages 107-130
Abstract
Abstract
Ashʿarism is one of the Sunni theological schools. The apparent similarity between some of Asahira’s principal beliefs and mystical teachings has led many to regard the great Muslim mystics, including Rumi (Mowlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi), as the followers of Asharite ...
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Abstract
Ashʿarism is one of the Sunni theological schools. The apparent similarity between some of Asahira’s principal beliefs and mystical teachings has led many to regard the great Muslim mystics, including Rumi (Mowlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi), as the followers of Asharite School. However the basics and principles of mysticism and the theology are essentially independent and different.
In this paper, some of the apparent similarities between Rumi's mystical opinions and Asahira’s beliefs are expressed, and then we try to uncover the deep difference between them and discuss them briefly. For this purpose, their arguments, especially on ‘good and evil’, ‘determinism and free will’, ‘the oneness of God’s actions and rejecting causality’, and ‘Sighting God’ are examined, and ultimately we will answer our primary question: ‘Is Rumi Ash'arist, in terms of his beliefs?’ It will be noticed that the mysticism and theology are so different and even incommensurable that their analogy implies ignorance of both intellectual trends.
Azam Mardiha; Sayed Mortaza Hosseini Shahroudi
Abstract
The question of 'imaginal perception' (al-idrāk al-khayālī) constitutes one of the most complex and important sections of the 'Transcendental Philosophy' (al-hikmat al-muta'āliyya) of Sadr al-Dīn Shīrāzī (1569-1640). Sadr al-Dīn's contribution to the conception of 'imaginal perception' ...
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The question of 'imaginal perception' (al-idrāk al-khayālī) constitutes one of the most complex and important sections of the 'Transcendental Philosophy' (al-hikmat al-muta'āliyya) of Sadr al-Dīn Shīrāzī (1569-1640). Sadr al-Dīn's contribution to the conception of 'imaginal perception' is distinguished from those of his towering predecessors, namely Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Suhrawardi. In fact, Sadr al-Dīn developed inspiring ideas connected with 'imaginal faculty', 'imaginal perception' and 'imaginal realm', and he did it on the basis of his well-considered and elaborated doctrines such as 'principality and primacy of being' (isālat al-wujūd, that the 'being' of each object is principial vis-a vis its 'quiddity' and that the essential qualities of 'Being', including 'knowledge' ('ilm), are concomitant with 'Being' itself), as well as based on his theories of perception and cognition, of the 'perfection in esse' or 'substantial perfection' of the soul, and of correspondence between the multiple states of 'being' and those of the human being - as a microcosmic image of 'being' itself. In the same line, Sadr al-Dīn also developed Suhrawardī's teachings on the 'imaginal world' as a mediatory realm between the sensory and the intelligible realms. It was on the basis of such elaborated doctrines and theories that Sadr al-Dīn succeeded to explain some particular problems related to the 'soul', among them, one may refer to the problem of 'reward and punshment in the Hereafter' as well as the question of 'bodily or corporal resurrection'.
Seyyed Mohsen Miri
Volume 1, Issue 1 , September 2010, , Pages 119-138
Abstract
The present article deals with man’s concerns and his crises on the basis of Corbin’s views. Corbin began his philosophy and thought on the basis of asking questions about the condition of man and his crisis; then, he sought solutions to these problems on the basis of the basic principles ...
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The present article deals with man’s concerns and his crises on the basis of Corbin’s views. Corbin began his philosophy and thought on the basis of asking questions about the condition of man and his crisis; then, he sought solutions to these problems on the basis of the basic principles of philosophy and theosophy. He believed that the main cause of the problems and crises in contemporary western world must be sought in the western philosophers’ ontology and epistemology.He sought the main solution in appealing to the imaginal world. The present article, states the main crises of contemporary man according to Corbin, such as the belief in dualism in the whole existence and knowledge, secularization (the separation of theology from philosophy), the disappearance of escatology, secularization of art, the one-dimensional approach to religion, and the loss of true principles for bringing the religions closer to each other. Finally, the solutions offered by Henry Corbin on the basis of Islamic theosophy are stated and briefly criticized in the views of some Iranian sages such as Avicenna, Suhrawardi and Mulla Sadra by emphasizing on the Iranian feature of the imaginal world.
Hadi vakili; Mohammad Hadi Mahmoodi
Volume 4, Issue 3 , March 2014, , Pages 119-135
Abstract
The present paper narrates the general outlines of Henry Carbon and Seyyed Ahmad Fardid views of comparative study of Islamic mysticism and German philosophy, and also carries out a comparison between the two thinkers. There are similarities between them in many aspects, for example both start the comparative ...
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The present paper narrates the general outlines of Henry Carbon and Seyyed Ahmad Fardid views of comparative study of Islamic mysticism and German philosophy, and also carries out a comparison between the two thinkers. There are similarities between them in many aspects, for example both start the comparative study with a criticism of historicism and engaging with phenomenology and both are trying to overcome the crisis of the western thought history. In spite of these harmonies, there are some important separations; while Carbon is concerned with meta-history, Fardid with his own special attitude toward history, highlights the historical aspects of the ideas and makes prominent studies constantly in the context of the history. Also while Carbon with a linguistic look follows the formation of a conceptual network in two side study, Fardid concentrates on Etiology with an inspiration by Heidegger.
Davood Memari
Volume 4, Issue 4 , July 2014, , Pages 121-145
Abstract
Most of laymen, and sometimes specials and intellectuals have missed the sight of Imam Khomeini's Gnostic aspect because of his significant political face and high rank of knowledge in Fiqh. Not to deny the deep discerning and hard efforts made by scholars in this critical field, but very little work ...
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Most of laymen, and sometimes specials and intellectuals have missed the sight of Imam Khomeini's Gnostic aspect because of his significant political face and high rank of knowledge in Fiqh. Not to deny the deep discerning and hard efforts made by scholars in this critical field, but very little work is done on Imam Khomeini's theoretical and practical Gnosticism and its basics and principles; though the Gnostic aspects of the both kinds was clear and discernible in his adventurous life for all those who admired him. Since in Imam Khomeini's point of view those pure springs of Gnosticism can only come from the high mountains of Quran and Muslim hallows, in this research we briefly reviewe his interest toward adages of Muslim hallows as one of the main basics of Islamic Gnosticism and analyze the process of Narration (quoting) and Acknowledgement (understanding) in his spoken and written words
Monireh Sayyid Mazhari
Volume 2, Issue 1 , October 2011, , Pages 121-137
Abstract
Explaining the issue of resurrection, Shahab al Din Suhrawardi reaches to the belief that the souls of the blissful and perfect virtues people are absorbed by the divine worlds of light after death, and they are not involved with the concerns of the purgatory life .
Nevertheless, the virtuous ones who ...
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Explaining the issue of resurrection, Shahab al Din Suhrawardi reaches to the belief that the souls of the blissful and perfect virtues people are absorbed by the divine worlds of light after death, and they are not involved with the concerns of the purgatory life .
Nevertheless, the virtuous ones who are in the middle degree, with their statues being preserved in the hierarchical order, are settled in the world of the suspended forms and non corporeal bodies.
Suhrawardi reminds us that the resurrection of all divine corporeal and non corporeal bodies as well as the actualization of prophets' promises take place in this way.
Nonetheless, his remarks about the impious souls rise a suspicion about his inclination towards the idea of the transmigration of soul.
Mulla Sadra criticizes Suhrawardi's approach to the issue of resurrection especially his analysis that the non corporeal forms cause forms and images in the imagination, which are the origins of pleasant and unpleasant effects. In this respect ,Sadra has considered Suhrawadi's explanation as an account which is in opposition to the surface of the religious texts
Mohammad Hosein Vafaiyan; Ghasem’ali Kochnani
Volume 5, Issue 4 , February 2015, , Pages 123-135
Abstract
Self-existent in its essence has multiple inherent and real qualities. On the other hand, self-existent has the most simple and pure essentiality. The summation of the extreme simplicity and the diversity of God’s qualities is done based on the Mulla Sadra’s perspective on the essence of ...
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Self-existent in its essence has multiple inherent and real qualities. On the other hand, self-existent has the most simple and pure essentiality. The summation of the extreme simplicity and the diversity of God’s qualities is done based on the Mulla Sadra’s perspective on the essence of simplicity, relying on the rule of simplicity of essence in its gradation. The particular point of view offered by Mulla Sadra about the traits leads to attributing some more special characteristics to the divine existent. The purpose of the current study is to explain the characteristics offered by Mulla Sadra, concentrating on the Sadraian rule of the simplicity of essence and its gradation
Seyed Mohammad Amin Moshkforoosh; Mahdi Azimi
Abstract
According to psychologism, laws of logic and mathematics are not anything except generalized accounts of thought patterns which govern human's mind. Therefore, the content of laws of logic is merely subjective idea created by the human mind. If the structure of the mind was different from our actual ...
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According to psychologism, laws of logic and mathematics are not anything except generalized accounts of thought patterns which govern human's mind. Therefore, the content of laws of logic is merely subjective idea created by the human mind. If the structure of the mind was different from our actual structure, then the laws of logic would be something different from the laws existing now. For Frege, this theory is on the basis of the conceptualism and idealism of the meaning of the words. Frege believes that the meanings of propositions, which he called "Thought", are a distinct matter from "Ideas", which exist in every individual's mind. Frege's arguments endeavor to prove it via two basic reasonings, as stated in this article. The absence of common discourse, which changes language to an individual matter, as well as the presentation of "epistemological relativism" are two vicious consequences, which is the course of accepting the matter that there is no distinction between "Thought" and "Idea". In Frege’s view, if psychologism were true, everything would be reduced to "Idea". And if everything reduces to "Idea", "Thought" will be "Idea" as well; however, "Thought" is not "Idea". Therefore, psychalogism is void. When Frege tries to explain why Thought is not the same as Idea, he starts with the Idea properties. Frege believes that Ideas are dependent on individual (Individual-dependent), and are always dependent, hence, cannot exist without their owner independently. Each Idea only belongs to one person (individual) can never be the owner of another’s Idea. Our own Ideas naturally and essentially are so related to our consciousness realm that each Idea owned by every person is distinct from our own Idea only belonging to ours. If two persons have one Idea, it is necessary that Ideas exist independently from them, which is in contrast to the hypothesis and essence of Idea. In his first arguments, Frege declares that if Thought is the same as Idea, it would not be possible to have common perception about one Thought, therefore, identical meaning, and as a result conversation (common discourse), would not exist. So, language would change into an individual private matter. This outcome is a result of individual-dependent (relative to subjects) relative to characteristic of Idea. His second argument is in the same direction as the first one, stating that if Thought is the same as Idea, contradiction between two Thoughts would not be possible. Because there is no identical criterion by which people (person who are communicating) could evaluate their perception, verify the validity of their viewpoints, and discover the contradiction of their thoughts toward others. Also, dispute over Truth would be vain. It is like the quarrel between two persons who fight over being an original 100 Marks banknote in their pocket. Each of them believes that only the banknote in his/her own pocket is original, then all the science would not be only as superstition. Frege in his second arguments illustrate that epistemological relativism and individualism are vicious consequents of psychologism. This research investigates the criticism of some classic logicians and contemporary thinkers on Islamic philosophy. They have declared that Frege does not distinguish between conceptualism and psychologism and also between existence of Idea and its indication. Moreover, they criticize Frege's affirmative theory about grasping of thought. In this research, it becomes clear that Frege's objections to conceptualism (psychological individualism) are still valid. There is no convincing reply to these objections yet. The approach of this research concentrates on the Frege's negative reasoning in the criticism of psychologism, not on the Frege’s affirmative views on the manner of Thought perceptions.
Mohammad Nejati; Ahmad Beheshti
Volume 4, Issue 2 , October 2013, , Pages 125-137
Abstract
It is generally conceived that the principal Mulla sadra’s approach in the problem of correspondence was to appeal to the prevalent foundationalism, and quiddity correspondence. However regarding the quiddity as a mere abstraction, as an element of Sadra’s philosophy, challenges the theory ...
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It is generally conceived that the principal Mulla sadra’s approach in the problem of correspondence was to appeal to the prevalent foundationalism, and quiddity correspondence. However regarding the quiddity as a mere abstraction, as an element of Sadra’s philosophy, challenges the theory of quiddity correspondence severely. Thus, in the transcendental theosophy, the problem of knowledge and the quality of its attainting by soul is presented differently. Sadra believes that the soul manipulation is due ambiguity and lack of clarity in the perceptions, which is caused by existential poverty of the soul. To explain the problem of correspondence in the soul’s perceptions, Sadra uses the theory of unification of intellect and intelligible. In the sadra’s view, since the knowledge is existential, in the process of perception and unification with existential and perfectional perceptions, the existence and knowledge of the soul can be intensified and soul finally can attain clarity and correspondent perceptions.
mahbobeh rajaei; seyd morteza hosseini shahroudi; Abbas Javareshkyan
Abstract
In Mulla Sadra’s work, we encounter two different meanings of the terms substance and accident. One is the well-known meaning according to which contingent beings divide into substances and accidents: like first philosophers Mulla Sadra defines substance as a being not in the subject, and accident ...
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In Mulla Sadra’s work, we encounter two different meanings of the terms substance and accident. One is the well-known meaning according to which contingent beings divide into substances and accidents: like first philosophers Mulla Sadra defines substance as a being not in the subject, and accident as a being in the subject. More precisely, substance is a quiddity which is not in the subject, not a property of something else, and accident is a quiddity in the subject, not needed by the subject, a property of something else. Thus, from this point of view both substance and accident are quiddities. God falls into neither of the two above defined categories, because in the division it is the quiddity which is divided; hence Mulla Sadra considers “non-substance” as a negative divine attribute, providing some arguments for his claim. He proposes another meaning for the duality of substance and accident founded upon components of his own philosophy such as the primacy of existence (asālat al-wūjūd), hypostatic unity of being (waḥdat shakhsī wūjūd), and ontological indigence (faqr wūjūdi). Based on the primacy of existence, he redefines quiddity as a shade (ẓīl) of existence. Therefore, quiddity is not divided into substance and accident, but the latter two are both existential. Next, invoking the principle of hypostatic unity of being, he states that it is only the true unified Being who deserves the title substance, describing as accidents other beings which are his manifestations. Through explaining ontological indigence he also proves that the realization of indigent existence depends on rich existence and compared to him everything in the universe is pure dependence (rabṭ) and mere indigence, and considered a mode and manifestation of him. The substance is he who is independent and essentially rich, and the rest which are the manifestation of dependence count as accidents. Mulla Sadra matches the two meanings together. Everything in the universe is a manifestation of a particular name of God. Thus, just as parts of the universe are divided into genus, species, individuals, and substances, so the division is found in the names of God; and just as the truth of substances is veiled by accidents, so the divine essence is veiled by its names and attributes; and just as attributes such as species - some of which are more general and some more particular as with close and distant species and their correlatives – together with which the substance is a particular genus or type, so some of divine attributes are more general and more permeating and some more particular and less permeating. Each of the innumerable beings in the universe which are its parts is a manifestation of a particular name among divine names; and just as parts of the universe divide into genus, species, individuals, substances, and accidents (including quantity, quality, relation, habitus, time, location, situation (or position), action, and passion ("being acted on)), so the names of God divide into genus, species, substantial, accidental, etc. names. Everything in the visible universe is a shade testifying to what is in the invisible the world of names, as the manifestation of the substantiality of the Creator, called Allah by Mulla Sadra, is “the perfect man” In the light of foundations specific to his philosophy, Mulla Sadra’s novel explanation demonstrates that the duality of substance and accident both make sense and have examples in the external world (although in his wisdom in accordance with the well-known meaning of the terms an immediate cognition of substance is not possible, and it is only accidents which are knowable). But also his analysis paves the way for the demonstration of dependent existence (i.e. the existence of beings which are not God). If considered in comparison to the Necessary, everything is dependent, or, accidental, as Mulla Sadra calls it. The impact of the concept of dependence (or accidentality) upon philosophical discussions is that it dispenses with the need for quiddities and linking quiddity-bound concepts to the concepts not bound by quiddity. Thanks to the analysis, the fact of God being together with names and attributes (called accidents by Mulla Sadra) takes on a novel interpretation: it is not like the coincidence of the accidental and essential; nor like the coincidence of substance and accident in the well-known sense of the terms; nor like the coincidence of quiddity and existence, because God is not a general quiddity at all. Instead, his truth is a pure, simple, sacred Being that has no names, shapes or limits, and for which no proof is invoked. Rather, he is the proof for everything, a witness to every manifestation. The main concern of this article is to compare, examine and match the two views, since despite the fact that there are numerous books and articles addressing the issue of substance and accident, there is not a discrete study of the two perspectives; hence the necessity of explaining Mulla Sadra’s view. Because this aim is fulfilled through studying and researching into his books, the present article’s research method is conceptual analysis written in an analytic-descriptive form.
Hadi Vakili; Mahmood Sheikh
Volume 4, Issue 1 , October 2013, , Pages 131-151
Abstract
This article attempts to answer this question from three perspectives: “Is it possible to consider the behavior of Najaf moralists (Akhlaqioun) to be an Islamic mystical and spiritual school? It firstly according to the classic definition of Mysticism, judges if the behavior of Najaf moralists ...
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This article attempts to answer this question from three perspectives: “Is it possible to consider the behavior of Najaf moralists (Akhlaqioun) to be an Islamic mystical and spiritual school? It firstly according to the classic definition of Mysticism, judges if the behavior of Najaf moralists (Akhlaqioun) is mystical or not? Then by mentioning some difficulties of the classic definition for such a judgment and offering a definition for theosophy based on the concept of tradition and by analyzing this definition into two concepts “culture” and “literature” and also analyzing “culture” into the Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior, answers to this question. At the end, according to the public regard for mystic and Mysticism it proves that the behavior of Najaf moralists (Akhlaqioun) is mystical.
Samanbar Mirzayi; Hadi Vakili
Volume 5, Issue 1 , October 2014, , Pages 133-160
Abstract
Among the issues which have been raised in the Islamic philosophy and mysticism, Idea and Imagination play an essential role to explain many Islamic beliefs such as the resurrection, the life after death and soul incorporeity. Ibn-al Arabi, Mulla Sadra, Ibn Sina and Sheikh-al Ishraq have dealt with these ...
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Among the issues which have been raised in the Islamic philosophy and mysticism, Idea and Imagination play an essential role to explain many Islamic beliefs such as the resurrection, the life after death and soul incorporeity. Ibn-al Arabi, Mulla Sadra, Ibn Sina and Sheikh-al Ishraq have dealt with these issues and addressed them. For Ibn-al Arabi, Imagination (Al-Qial) is the place of conflicts, a paradoxical fact which is neither available, nor destroyed, neither known, nor unknown. He believes that imagination is vastest as well as narrowest known objects with which we can understand the sensorial and imaginal forms. For him, Ama (blind state) would not appear if imagination did not exist. He believes that imagination is the slave of the rational soul and due to the ownership, it has a kind of sovereignty, the sovereignty of the imagination is that it shapes soul in any form. From the perspective of Mulla Sadra, innate power of imagination is sometimes acquisitive and sometimes indigenous. Among the ways to reach lightening objects are to prevent from eating, drinking, sleeping and getting rid of indolence. Mulla Sadra believes that the soul has an imaginational faculty by which it can create and compose forms which have no existence in worlds of intelligences and external objects, even in the world of ideas
Maryam Saadi; Rasoul Rasoulipour; mohsen javadi
Abstract
Kelly James Clark considers in Big Bang and Darvinism as two critical and challenging issues in the 20th century; while explaining the relationship between religion and science.He believes that although the first issue can be a boost to the belief in being a creator, the second, often due to the wrong ...
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Kelly James Clark considers in Big Bang and Darvinism as two critical and challenging issues in the 20th century; while explaining the relationship between religion and science.He believes that although the first issue can be a boost to the belief in being a creator, the second, often due to the wrong ways of addressing it, has led to a conflict between science and religion. In this regard, the study of the matters created in the face of evolution theory and their positions in redefinition of the relationship between science and religion is one of the axes of this article. Among other things, the way Muslim intellectuals are exposed and the factors influencing their position are considered. The confrontation that seems to have not been based on "belief in the conflict of science and religion" or "scientism", especially in Iran, but has had considerable reasonable.Reasons for doubling clarity with the advent of blind and random interpretations of evolution and the imposition of its theological consequences. Clarke's analysis of the meaning of the randomness of the evolutionary process and its explanation of God's creativity, when evolution is in the hands of a random approach, is an answer that challenges evolutionary biologists.
Majid Houshangi; Gholamhossein Gholamhosseinzadeh
Volume 3, Issue 2 , October 2013, , Pages 145-162
Abstract
One of the specific aspects of Kierkegaard’s thought, as one of the founders of existentialist philosophy, is the paradigm of anxiety, which has a very special position in the concept of faith. He believed that it is the most important way to receive the product of faith, and even considered it ...
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One of the specific aspects of Kierkegaard’s thought, as one of the founders of existentialist philosophy, is the paradigm of anxiety, which has a very special position in the concept of faith. He believed that it is the most important way to receive the product of faith, and even considered it in the same level of importance as the faith itself.
On the other hand, in Islamic mysticism, including Risalah al-Qusyairiyah, a similar approach in the reading of the concept of khowf (fear) is observed.
Placing emphasis on the concept of anxiety as an innate matter, Kierkegaard views it in three interdependent scopes which are: freedom, possibility and paradox. These can be called the motifs of anxiety, which bear structural similarities with Abu al-Qasim al-Qusyairi opinions in his Risalah al-Qusyairiyah if considered through a comparative reading. Al-Qusyairi too puts stress on the dependence and correlation between the concept of khowf in mystical system and the topics of possibility, freedom and eternity. This research tries to prove this hypothesis.
fateme soleimani
Abstract
According to philosophers intellect is the rational faculty of the soul, by which one can understand the truth universally. Now the question is how much this definition of intellect conforms to the Quran's view. Islamic Philosophers believe that intellect has got various capabilities to reach differing ...
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According to philosophers intellect is the rational faculty of the soul, by which one can understand the truth universally. Now the question is how much this definition of intellect conforms to the Quran's view. Islamic Philosophers believe that intellect has got various capabilities to reach differing degrees. In the lower degrees intellect can deduce, analyze and synthesize the concepts. Through contemplation, reflection as well as purification, this faculty could develop and would be able to connect with the world beyond and unify with separated intelligences and reach the truth immediately. Thus, the intellect controls the whole cognitive activities of human being including understanding, deduction, assessment, development, spiritual observation and his practical actions. In other words, the real existential dimension of man always thinks and acting accordingly. This concept of intellect is the one Quran verses admitted.
makek abiyan; gholamhossein khedri; jalal peykani; alireza parsa
Abstract
The “argument of the sincere” (burhān al-ṣiddīqīn) was first introduced by Avicenna as andirect proof for a creator. He tried to provide a nearly ideal and direct version of the proof for God’s existence. The argument from possibility and necessity found its way to the Western ...
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The “argument of the sincere” (burhān al-ṣiddīqīn) was first introduced by Avicenna as andirect proof for a creator. He tried to provide a nearly ideal and direct version of the proof for God’s existence. The argument from possibility and necessity found its way to the Western philosophy through translations, and then Thomas Aquinas made tremendous efforts to refine and supplement it as a proof for the source of the world. This paper seeks to provide a more clear account of Avicenna’s argument of the sincere in the Islamic world and Aquinas’s argument from possibility and necessity in the Western world as proofs for the creator. It will then be argued that, first of all, these are two different arguments, and despite their shared foundations, they have different structures. It seems that Aquinas’s argument is like the argument from possibility and necessity in Islamic philosophy and theology. Secondly, regardless of how persuasive it might be to the public, Thomas’s argument rests upon controversial philosophical assumptions and involves lengthy premises, whereas Avicenna’s argument has solid rational foundations and structure, achieving its goal through fewer mediating premises.
Mehdi Fayaz; Seyed Mohammad Ali Taghavi; Mohammad Reza Sedghi Rezvani
Abstract
1-INTRODUCTION "Irony" is one of the pivotal themes of Richard Rorty's thought. This concept has a long-lasting background in the history of philosophy. At first it was used in the Ancient Greece to describe the method of Socratic dissimulation which drew the attention of great thinkers such as Søren ...
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1-INTRODUCTION "Irony" is one of the pivotal themes of Richard Rorty's thought. This concept has a long-lasting background in the history of philosophy. At first it was used in the Ancient Greece to describe the method of Socratic dissimulation which drew the attention of great thinkers such as Søren Kierkegaard. On the other hand, the concept of rendi has also an enduring and meandering background in the history of Persian language. This concept particularly has a focal place in Hafez's poetry and it is so significant that rendi is considered as the most consistent theme in Hafez's thought. The main purpose of this research is to compare the two concepts of "irony" and rendi in the thoughts of two outstanding thinkers who lived and flourished in two different cultural backgrounds. 2- METHODOLOGY The comparative research method is used in this study. Comparison would help us to understand two phenomena if we could find similarities between them, and these findings could enhance our knowledge about the two phenomena to a certain extent. Comparison sheds light on the points that have been concealed and ignored, and helps us to understand the affinities and differences of various cultural and thought resources. In fact, comparison reveals unique as well as similar aspects of thoughts and cultures. The main question of the present research is that in what aspects the two concepts of Richard Rorty's "irony" and Hafez's rendi are similar and in what respects they differ. Although such a comparison seems at first sight impossible or at least problematic, it reveals many similarities between the two concepts, despite the cultural and linguistic differences of Hafez and Rorty. Not only does the comparison of rendi and "irony" show the literary and philosophical values of these two concepts in two different cultures, but it also provides the possibility to look into the literary and philosophical texts from alternative and new perspectives. 3- RESULTS & DISCUSSION From Rorty's viewpoint, human beings are free to build their inner self and his ideal character is "ironist". The Ironist is a playful, free, and innovative person. Like a strong poet, an "ironist" tries to show that he is not a duplicate of another person and he intends to recreate himself in a unique and distinctive manner. Indeed, the "ironist" endeavours to recreate the best of himself. From Hafez's viewpoint, on the other hand, rend is someone who simultaneously experiences the love of living life, attempts to understand it, and is amazed by its mysteries. Hafez asks that how we could live in an age that hypocrisy, deceitfulness, and conformity (i.e. blending in with the crowd) are rife and that the impious and the hypocrites have dominated the arena. Therefore, Rorty's "ironist" and Hafez's rend have similarities in certain respects. Rorty's "ironist" has a rebellious and independent character that views everything with a sceptic outlook. Hafez's rend is also an extraordinary combination of scepticism and certitude, and tries to save his life from any sense of belonging and attachment. Rorty's "ironist" is a free person who creatively thinks alternatives. Rend, too, represents outstanding aspects of creativity and delicately protests against the moral degradation and improbity of his age. On the other hand, there are some differences between them as well. One of the most important differences is the difference in poetry insight and doing philosophy. The potentials of poetic language provide Hafez with the possibility of introducing rend as a person who equivocates dauntlessly and incorporates the conflicting elements in itself. However, Rorty's "ironist" emerges as a philosopher (yet a non-essentialist one) and his attempt is focussed upon creating the final vocaublary which are less contradictory and which would be able to persuade the audience. From this perspective, while Hafez's rend tries to find the persuasion in a poetic language which is sarcastic and equivocal, Rorty's "ironist" is pursuing it in a consistent and less contradictory language.
MOHAMMAD SMAILE ABDOLLAHY
Abstract
IntroductionThis study aims to investigate the relationship between the world of unity and the world of plurality based on Quranic reading and tries to reject the rival theory and the hypothesis of "establishing a relationship between unity and plurality based on the personal unity of existence" based ...
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IntroductionThis study aims to investigate the relationship between the world of unity and the world of plurality based on Quranic reading and tries to reject the rival theory and the hypothesis of "establishing a relationship between unity and plurality based on the personal unity of existence" based on studies and analyzes. Examine the basic Qur'an. The body of research consists of: explaining the personal unity of existence and critique of rival theories and reciting and explaining the Qur'an the chosen theory. By studying the relative interactions of the world of plurality with the world of unity, several studies have been conducted, including: the article "The possibility of personal unity of existence in transcendent wisdom" by Hossein Suzanchi; The article "A method and in proving the content of the personal unity of existence" written by Vahid Vahed Javan et al .; Article "Unity and plurality of existence in transcendent wisdom and mysticism" by Seyyed Hamid Reza Hassani; The article "Reflections on the Evidence of Personal Unity of Existence" written by Mohammad Ali Mohiti Ardakan and Mohammad Fanaei Eshkevari. Although these articles have somehow dealt with the relationship between the world of unity and the world of plurality and the analysis of the personal unity of existence, they have never targeted the basic and documented reading of the Qur'an, which is the mission of this research. MaterialThe present research is a research, theoretical and its method is descriptive-analytical. The research approach is also qualitative; Qualitative research requires identifying sources related to the research topic, studying texts, understanding the meaning of the text and extracting the desired content from these sources, establishing a relationship between the content and describing and analyzing them, and discussing and concluding the collected information. ResultsBased on research and referring to the Holy Quran, it was found that the relationship between the world of plurality and the world of unity is of the type of relationship "was" and "appearance" or the relationship of "truth of existence" and "manifestation of existence" called "personal unity of existence" Is summarized. There are many verses to prove this mystical approach in relation to the world of plurality and the world of unity. With the mystical analysis of the relevant verses, the strategic statement "Existence is unique in the Almighty and the world of possibilities is its manifestations, manifestations and events" was extracted, which can be the basis for further research on the system of Qur'anic mysticism. ConclusionIn mystical ontology, how the world of plurality relates to the world of unity is one of the main axes. The relationship between the world of unity and the world of plurality has long been the subject of controversy among philosophers and sages. Different views are presented in this regard. What has been considered most of all is the theory of the personal unity of existence in these proportions. Mystics try to develop this theory with rational and intuitive analysis and base it on other scientific theories. Based on research and referring to the Holy Quran, it was found that the relationship between the world of plurality and the world of unity is of the type of relationship "was" and "appearance" or the relationship of "truth of existence" and "manifestation of existence".
Philosophy
Ali Sayyah; Shams-ol-Molouk Mostafavi; Reza Davari Ardakani
Abstract
IntroductionHaving rooted in Islamic doctrines and Greek philosophy -specially Plato and Aristotle-, Al-farabi gave central role to Happiness in his philosophy, locating it at the heart of his political thought. His unflagging effort to conceptualize the notion of happiness ended up bringing to the scene ...
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IntroductionHaving rooted in Islamic doctrines and Greek philosophy -specially Plato and Aristotle-, Al-farabi gave central role to Happiness in his philosophy, locating it at the heart of his political thought. His unflagging effort to conceptualize the notion of happiness ended up bringing to the scene a new theoretical view on happiness, which has been circulated throughout the Islamic philosophy by his disciples. In this paper, I would tend to reconsider this key concept in Al-Farabi’s philosophy, by looking at it in relation to Imagination. The key question, therefore, would be “what is the role of imagination in the process of achieving happiness”; in other word, “How Imagination can participate a role in the attainment of happiness?”. To approach this question, first, I will look at how Al-Farabi deals with the notion of happiness in his works and how he puts this notion at the heart of his political view. Thereby, it will be discussed that happiness is being attained through existing in the society (virtuous city), which means, happiness can be attained collectively, not individually. Finally, by exploring Imagination in Al-Farabi’s happiness theory, I will discuss the significant role and statue of artists, who deal with the public’s imagination, in the virtuous city. Literature ReviewThe views of Al-Farabi on the subject in question have been discussed to some extent in books such as Al-Farabi, Imagination, and Artistic Creativity and Al-Farabi and Conceptualization of Religious Art. In addition, in Al-Farabi, a Strange Philosopher, Nasrollah Hekmat tries to open new horizons in this field, criticizing dominant readings of Al-Farabi’s views. In third section of this book, titled “Philosophy of Imagination in Al-Farabi’s thought”, author introduces the notion of “imaginary rationality” that plays an important role in Al-Farabi’s prophecy theory and paves the human way towards happiness. Going beyond a merely explanatory view, The Political Thought of Al-Farabi by Reza Davari Ardakani, provides a comprehensive reading of Al-Farabi’s thought, drawing connections between the notion of happiness and his political views. Moreover, in Politics and Excellence: The Political Philosophy of Al-Farabi, Miriam Galston considers relations between Politics and Excellence in a broader philosophic context. And finally, it is totally worth to talk about Al-Farabi and the Foundation of Islamic Political Philosophy, written by Muhsin Mahdi, that deals with key concepts of Al-Farabi’s philosophy through reading his works. Methods and MaterialGathered the information from Al-Farabi’s own books, as well as the second literature and commentaries on his works, this paper is completely library research. Firstly, I made an outline to keep our research focused. After gathering information, in the second step, I would be able to narrow down the research area. By analyzing, deducing, and reconsidering data, in the last phase, the study would come to conclusion. Results and DiscussionAlthough Al-Farabi enumerates theoretical virtues, deliberative virtues, moral virtues, and practical arts as conditions of possessing happiness, according to his works, theoretical contemplation is a necessary condition of reaching happiness. The theoretical contemplation, however, is the property of the elect, and the vulgar are deprived of this activity. Since he is aiming at happiness for all citizens of the society, Al-Farabi appeals to a faculty that is common between all human beings: Imagination. What is important in this context is that, in Al-Farabi’s view, Imagination- which contributes to his prophecy theory- has the capacity of imitating not only the sensible, but also the intelligible. (this latter function of Imagination -imitating of the intelligible- has not been considered in his antecedents, specially Plato and Aristotle, and seems it is his own innovation). The supreme ruler of virtuous city (philosopher-prophet) and the elect -specially the artist among them- can project the representations of the intelligible on the public’s minds which are able to imitate them. It gives the opportunity to the public that find their way to happiness. In other word, Imagination -its ability to imitate the intelligible- paves the way of happiness for all citizens of virtuous city. ConclusionIn a way of conclusion, Happiness plays an important role in Al-Farabi’s political thinking, in a way that he articulates his political theory around this notion. As we mentioned above, while the theoretical contemplation is necessary for reaching happiness, this ability merely belongs to the elect. By taking advantage of their Imagination, which is capable of imitating abstract concepts, the public can reach the highest good, the happiness. Since the artists, among the elect, deals directly with the public’s imagination and can project theoretical virtues on their minds, Al-Farabi puts a high value on them in the second highest level of virtuous city (His view stands in stark contrast to Plato who believed artists -specially poets- must be banished from his ideal society).
Philosophy
ali mostajeran; ali arshad Riahi
Abstract
Introduction Mirza Javad Tehrani is one of the followers of the school of Tafkik and had been strongly influenced by the thoughts of Mirza Mehdi Isfahani and Sheikh Hadi Tehrani. According to school of Tafkik, the use of rational and philosophical methods has no place in proving or explaining ...
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Introduction Mirza Javad Tehrani is one of the followers of the school of Tafkik and had been strongly influenced by the thoughts of Mirza Mehdi Isfahani and Sheikh Hadi Tehrani. According to school of Tafkik, the use of rational and philosophical methods has no place in proving or explaining religious teachings. Also, one of the reasons, given by the deniers of the Sadra's philosophy is that this philosophy takes contradictory approach, and therefore they accuse the transcendent philosophy of methodological eclecticism. But Tehrani by proving the fundamental reality of quiddity and using it for the issue of monotheism, has confirmed the use of philosophical and rational discussions in the religious teachings. Tehrani by proposing eight critiques, he has criticized the principles and arguments of the fundamental reality of existence, and consequently, he considers the issue of essential monotheism to be provable only by the principles of the fundamental reality of quiddity. As for the background of the present research, the only article that has been published on this subject is "Critique of the arguments of the fundamental reality of existence in the thought of Mirza Javad Tehrani" by Hossein Soheili (Soheili and others، 1398) in the journal of Hikmat Muaser. The present research is structurally, contently and basically, from four aspects, different from this research.Research MethodIn this article the authors, firstly, relying on the descriptive method and analysis of the content, have studied and evaluated eight Tehrani’s critiques on the fundamental reality of existence. Consequently, it is specified that the origin of Tehrani's attitude to explaining the provable characteristic of the Essence of the Necessary Being, in order to support the principles of the fundamental reality of quiddity, is that he did not distinguish between acceptance of requirement and acceptance of causality regarding the Essence of the Necessary Being. On the other hand, it has been cleared that, relying on the Tehrani’s view -criticizing the fundamental reality of existence and strengthening the fundamental reality of quiddity- it is not possible to give a convincing answer to Ibn Kamuna's doubt and the arguments of the monotheism of Essence, attributes and actions envisage problem. But relying on the Sadra's fundamental reality of existence, although God is not a special being of any quiddity, to require His possibility, the supreme Divine Existence possesses all perfect entities. Accordingly, firstly, the existential attributes of creatures are attributed to God in the status of the act, not in the status of the Essence. Secondly, they are attributed to God in that they are existences. Therefore, it can be acknowledged that although creatures have perfections, there is no perfection other than the perfection of God. According to this interpretation, philosophical purification will not be in conflict with the appearance of verses and hadiths that limit existential attributes as well as activity and influence in God alone or attributed the actions of the creature to God.According to Tehrani, the adherents of the fundamental reality of existence believe that the truth of external objects is existence and the truth of existence is not something like other objects, so it cannot be perceived by the five senses, but its perception is possible with intuition. According to the authors' research, Tehrani, since he could not perceive the truth of existence with empirical knowledge, inevitably considered what he perceives with his five senses as truth, and finally came to believe that what exists externally is quiddity.Consequences These consequences are resulted from this article: 1- Tehrani’s criticisms on the fundamental reality of existence are not correct. In some positions, he quoted the words of the predecessors of the adherents of the fundamental reality of quiddity, and in other cases, he did not accept the principles of the adherents of the fundamental reality of quiddity. There are two central points in most of Tehran's criticisms: Firstly, he did not have a correct idea of how the object and the subject correspond to each other, because he considered the concrete to be a container-like reality in which external beings have taken place, while the subject and the subjective are the same thing, as well as object and objective are the same thing. Secondly, in most cases, he has meant what the adherents of the fundamental reality of existence mean, but in order to escape from this thesis, he has adhered to the fundamental reality of quiddity. 2- Considering the difference between requirement and causality, which is based on the fundamental reality of existence, the Essence of the Necessary Being can be considered as possessor of requirement, without any causality, because considering the issue of causality, the Essence of the Necessary Being will have caused and otherness of existence and quiddity in the contingents indicates the essential dependence of the contingent on the cause, but the sameness of existence and quiddity in the Necessary Being indicates the non-dependence of the Essence of Necessary Being on the cause, since His Essence is His Existence. But according to the fundamental reality of quiddity, relying on the unification of requirement and causality, in the Essence of the Necessary Being, the main problem is that the Essence of the Necessary Being can no longer be considered the Necessary Being of all aspects.
Reza Berenjkar; Hossein Hojjatkhah
Volume 3, Issue 1 , September 2012, , Pages 1-32
Abstract
Semantic of Divine attributes and names is one of the key doctrinal issues in philosophy of religion, philosophy, kalam, mysticism and contemporary scholars. This topic often brought up as assimilation and purification in the field of Islamic Sciences. Ibn Arabi knows purification and assimilation are ...
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Semantic of Divine attributes and names is one of the key doctrinal issues in philosophy of religion, philosophy, kalam, mysticism and contemporary scholars. This topic often brought up as assimilation and purification in the field of Islamic Sciences. Ibn Arabi knows purification and assimilation are exactly the same. In his eyes, the similarity between Divine attributes and possibilities is that Divine attributes are His manifestations and possibilities attributes are appearances of His attributes. In his idea, assimilation is in existence itself and purification is in limits of manifestations. But Molla Sadra based on emanationism and "cause and caused cognation" knows creature’s perfections completely in God. Therefore, with demonstrative approach based on three fundamental principles in this school (fundamental reality of existence, content participation in concept of existence and analogicity in reality of existence) believes in content participation and analogicity in Divine existence and attributes and with this way, he tries to get rid of absolute assimilation and divesting God of His attributes. Allame Tabatabaei in some positions expresses Molla Sadra’s theory but in other positions he knows the definitions of attributes non-compliance with God due to the fact that it is impossible to take away limitations such as lack of sameness among attributes from definitions of attributes. We will see by criticism and description of these approaches that all of them are based on ontological foundations that don’t give permission to put assimilation aside completely, however they deny absolute assimilation. But Allame’s second approach denies semantic assimilation
