1 life, Character and School of mulla Sadra
BY: Ayatollah Seyyed Mohaniniad Khanienei
Translated by: Abolfadl Haqiri Qazvini.
• Abstracts:
5 Mulla Sadra and Ibn - Sina and the Question of existence / wujud
7 The Necessary Being's Knowledge According
To Mulla Sadra
7 Huduth Dahri According to Razi
8 Imagination And Judgment
10 Descartes And Ibn-Sina On The Soul
10 Principles of Interpretation And Quranic Hermeneutics According To Mulla Sadra
11 Criteria of the Divine attribution
Life , Character and
Ayatollah S.M.Khamenei
cont...
This
was the method of our masters as well. In their private sessions, philosophical
and mystical issues were discussed openly. Mulla Sadra, in some of his books, as Ibn
Sina in his Isharat,
speaks of faithfulness to the secrets, and suggests that his contemporary
scholars and students are not able to grasp his doctrines, which are taken from
the world of intuition; and naturally, these books are written for a special
group.
For example, in the introduction of his al-Mabda wal Ma 'ad- which seems to be written for a special group of his disciples- he writes:
"I have denied myself to give this book except to well-natured and fair ones. I ask my brothers, who are among the people of the heart, not to put the issues, discussed in this book, in the access of heart-sick and crack-brained ones, who are ungrateful to God's graces, and transmit them, as it is instructed by the great sages, only to the wise pious ones".
It
was not for their meanness, if ancient sages concealed these sciences from the others;
it was for the fact that the weak reasons were not able to tolerate these
truths and thus they would beruined.
Also in the introduction of al-Shawahid
al-Rububiyyah he says:
"Oh
God, make the breasts of the pious ones the tombs of these secrets, and safeguard
them from the eavesdropping of the wicked ones who are excommunicated from the
world of the lights. Oh God, seat these expressions in a garden among the gardens
of the paradise, and not in an opening of the openings of the fire..."
In
these sarcastic expressions, he has aspired for thesetruths
being safeguarded in the hearts of pious ones, far from the access of the
devils of the wisdom.
Again in the introduction of Mafatih
al- Ghayb, he says:
"The
ancient sages concealed these secrets from the unworthy people. Those who are
trying to learn the wisdom also should keep it far from the access of the
heart-sickones."
This
tone, which suggests the sage's being experienced,
could be seen in the books, written after the period of seclusion. From the
introduction of Asfar and some of his other
books, it is understood that during the ascetic practices of the period of
seclusion, when his heart was illuminated by the lights of the true Divine
sciences, he was to reveal these secrets for no one. But the hidden oracle
instructed him to give some of what he had found, to the others. Hence, he went
to compile the books such as Asfar, Shawahid, Mafatih and the
like; and whenever he found a talented one, accepted him as a student and
taught him philosophy and the Transcendent Theosophy.
This
is the unchangeable rule of wisdom. Like every other sensible phenomenon, the
wisdom has its own generation, which should continue. The scholars, who come to
existence as the spiritual offsprings of their
masters, themselves are, in turn, the fathers of
sciences. The scholar who does not put the germ of the science and wisdom in
the womb of the time to present it to the history, is an unproductive and
single sage; and as we know, singlehood and not to go
to regenerate are blamed in hadith.
During
the intellectual journeys, the sage lives in a period, like the period of ripeness
of fruits. Until the full ripeness of the fruits, no fruit can be picked off,
and after then it should not be left on tree.
Mulla Sadra's
explicity, at the beginning, was resulted from his
being inexperienced, hence, for the scholars of the time, his pithy expressions
looked like the unripe fruits; and he faced with their denial, derision and
even excommunication. At the end, however, he had reached a point that he tried
to conceal his doctrines from the unworthy people.
Externally,
from his words it is understood that he had chosen silence and not to reveal
his findings for the wisdom- seekers; and not to expose the hidden Divine secrets.
The law of the world, however, directed him to teaching and writing, and
"the wisdom" appoints him to compile books and teach the hidden
secrets for the survival of the wisdom.
At
the beginning of his career in teaching and promoting the wisdom, he went, like
the mad-drunken ones, to betrayal of secrets and spread his own findings
unsparingly. Because of his cleverness, however, he soon became aware of the
intellectual disability of those who had been addressed by him. Thus, like
magi, he concealed the treasure of knowledge in a castle in which not every
claimant was admitted. Contrary to what some authors think, he soon recognized
the spirit of his own time and adapted himself with it.
In Mulla Sadra's biography, one researcher writes:
"Mulla Sadra did not know the
spirit of the society in which he lived, at all. In no aspect of the life,in which the people of the
time were in need,he was associated with them.."
This
is not true. Hakim Mulla Sadra should not be regarded as a sage who lived in an
ivory tower, unaware of the people, their expectations and needs.
Since
his childhood, he had lived among the people, farmers, and workers, and
administrated his paternal vast land properties for a long time and perhaps to
the end of the life and made distinction between the awaring
one and ignorant, intelligent and unintelligent; because of this as well as his
cleverness, he should be regarded more aware than most of his contemporary
scholars. The psychology of the students and scholars of the time- which has
been put in writing in al- Waridat al-Qalbiyyah should
be
considered as an indicator of his knowledge of the people of the time.
• This kind of Judgmentsdoes not lead the reader
to the spiritual depth of this sage.
And the one who has
lived with Shaykh Baha and
Mir Damad is not deserved to be described in this
way; since these two great masters were closer to the people and more aware of
the political and social situation of their time than everybody else. Naturally
the understandings of these masters leave their impacts on the disciples.
The individual life of Mulla Sadrais as unclear as the dark depth of the ocean. Among
all those events, which had occurred certainly in his seventy years life, only
two tangible points are remarked suggesting their deep impacts on the heart of
this sage: one, the pressures imposed by the unworthy people of the time and
the claimants of philosophy, science and mysticism; and the other, his being
instructed by the light of the truth to reveal the inspired truths and Illuminationist philosophy for the prepared ones.
Of
all these pains and sorrows, there is no trace of complaints except what could
be seen in his letters to Mir Damad (and perhaps some
others).
We
are aware of his love for Mir Damad, but on tragical event of Mir Damad's death,
there has remained no word of him.
This
is the case for his inclination toward Shaykh Baha, who died in 1030 (almost ten years before Mir Damad) as well. This patience suggests the depth of his
heart. As Sa'di says:
"The deep ocean will not become dark by throwing
stone;
"The mystic, who takes offence, is still like a
hollow river.
It
was worth to devote a chapter to the story of the sage's love for his masters
on the one hand, and for his disciples on the other hand. In history, however,
instead the lives of scholars, mystics and pious men of the time, the evil
lives of kings are told. And instead of narrating the words of all those sweet
- spoken ones, the historians and biographers had spoken of the lives of the
kings and defiled the pages of the history in this way.
Today,
in every page of the history, the evil acts of the Safavid
kings are recorded; but there is no trace of Shaykh Baha, Mir Damad, Mulla Sadra, Fayd
Lahiji and the other great figures. All those
enthusiasms and human stories are ignored; for the history has been always
written, for kings and by flattering historians; and no sage or jurisprudent
has regarded the writing of a true history to make a distinction between good
and evil, as a worthy task.
Yet
one should proceed to search, and understand from the smallest points, the greatest
connotations, and make the great buildings out of the negligible raw material,
and breathe a new life in the lifeless body of the history.
Mulla "Abd
al- Razzaq Lahiji
Among
the Mulla Sadra's
disciples, Fayd and Fayyad
are the most famous and the most intersted ones in
their master. And perhaps it is for their poetic gifts, that they dared to tell
the story of their love for the master, and composed some verses to describe
their love or wrote some letters to the master; and far from the others, beyond
the seven castles of secrets, relieved their chests in the scale of lovers.
For
example, there is a letter available, written by, Mulla
Sadra's son - in - law, Mulla
"Abd al-Razzaq Lahiji, the sage, the mystic, the theologian and the literatur of the time for the beloved master.
It
is much likely that there was a similar convention between Fayd
and his master. As we have already said, there was correspondence between Mulla Sadra and his master Mir Damad, which are not available. As it was common in that
era, Mulla Sadra also
sometimes composed poems. He has a collection of moral couplet - poems - which could
be called the Letter of Knowledge which has been published.
In
this collection he remembers his master, Mir Damad,
and composes verses some of which are presented here.
"Oh, you, who are made out of the pure light by
God;
"Far from your demonstration are illusions;
"You, yourself are a world, and the lord of the
world;
"You are same as the knowledge, and a gate for
the knowledge,
****
It was worth to
devote a part of this writing to Mulla Sadra's poems, composed for his friends and disciples, it
is muchl regretted however that "
The time does not allow me to go to poem;
"The knots, do not allow to
seat the jewels".
We
have already spoken of friendship between Mulla 'AbduJ Razzaq Lahiji
and Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani and their being Mulla Sadra's devotees and sons -
in- law, and finally of their spatial separation and correspondence, we have iterjected their poems, composed to admire their master as
well, to come to study the poems of the master; since these two Mulla Sadra's loyal disciples,
friends, and sons- in- law, i.e. Mulla 'Abdul Razzaq Fayyad Lahiji
and Mulla Muhsin Fayd Kashani, are both constituents
of Mulla Sadra's life and
bright stars of the sky of the science, literature and wisdom. Their lives are
not separate from that of the master. They are like two green branches,
sprouting on an old and fruitful tree like Mulla Sadra.
In
the old times, the disciples mirrored the scientific and practical aspects of
their master; and their identities and personalites
were solved in him. It was through the tongue of their master, if they were
speaking; through the eyes of their master, if they were seeing; and, through
the ears of their master if they were hearing. They sucked the science like a
sucking infant; and made of that "milk", bone and flesh. In our time,
however, there is no difference between a master and a speaking body; like a
passer -by, the student waits for a while at a class; and the result is nothing
except some blackened pages, we do not mention that, instead of loving and
God-seeking hearts of those disiples, the
contemporary student has a heart free of piety, and even "has some black
pages in his letter of deeds."
As
we shall see, Mulla Sadra
had some other famous disciples as well; none of them has, however, such a
place in the history. The life of Lahiji is enveloped
in a halo of ambiguity; but on the one hand his collection of poems attracts
the attention of the people of insight; and on the other' hand, his valuable
books have made his name eternal.
With
'Allamah Fayd Kashani, however, we are more acquainted; since his offsprings followed him and he himself has - as it has been
already said - an autobiography.
Like
the life of Mulla Sadra, we
know no important points of the life of Fayyad Lahiji, the mystic and the theologian - like philosopher.
For example, we do not know why, unlike his friend and relative - in - law, he
had not gone with his master and father - in - law to Qum
and stayed in
"Through dozens tricks, the heaven makes me
separate from you;
"It is only your kindness, which can judge this
oppression;
"Do me a favor to be able to escape from this
trap;
"And to be at your
own service.
Why
had not Fayd been compelled to stay in Qum or return to Kashan; and how had
he been able to go to
Fayyad - Mulla
'Abdul Razzaq Lahiji -
seems to have been older than Fayd Kashani, and come to Shiraz before him, and enjoyed Mulla Sadra's knowledge more than
him. As it is seen in his works, in the intellectual sciences, he was more well
- versed than Fayd.
He
married Mulla Sadra's
daughter (naturally his elder daughter, who is the lady Umm Kulthum,
the first offspring of the family) in 1034 or 1035. And as we know, Fayd married Mulla Sadra's other daughter in around 1038. This may be an
indicator of the fact that Fayyad was older than Fayd, and got acquainted with the master before him. Fayyad Lahiji is said to have
studied under Mir Damad.
The
evidences show that, in the case of the truth of these words, it could be concluded
that, before Qum, he had been staying in
The
spiritual and sentimental relation, and the disciple - master relation - or
more precisely, the relatoin of devotee and devoted -
between Lahiji and Mulla Sadra may suggest the lenght of
the period of his study under the master, and the depth of his training. As we
have seen, like the Illuminationist philosophers, Mulla Sadra also was both teacher
and master as well as spiritual director; and at the same time, he was a guide for
his selected students' religious ascetic practices; guiding them in their
spiritual wayfaring.
The
spiritual and sentimental relations of Fayyad Lahiji [and Mulla Sadra] can be seen in his poems. For example, in an elegy,
composed by him in mourning for the death of his master, we read:
"Recently, the heaven threw a stone on my glass;
" All the
ground is covered by pieces of glass;
'The heaven dissappointed
me again and again;
This disappointment is, however, other than those disapointments.
The death of the master caused for me;
"A pain, which is in 'All's heart for the death
of Mustafa;
"I has not been free of
sorrows, even for a moment;
This knockdown sorrow is, however, other than the
former ones;
"My master is both spiritual father and guide;
"It is right, if I worship him down to the day
of resurrection;
"My nature was the dark earth of the ignorance
and arrogance,
"Now it is gold, because of his alchemist
making;
"Reached me from the well of ignorance to the
summit of honor;
These poem show that he regarded himself,
as the gate of the master's knowledge; and considered the master's death as a
fatal sorrow.
Abstracts
Mulla Sadra
and Ibn - Sina and
the Question of existence / wujud
Dr.Reza Akbarian
existence/ wujud is one of the most important issues, which may be
discussed comparatively and analyzed historically, existence/wujud is the most important philosophical issue in the
Muslim world. Mulla Sadra's
answer to the question of existence /wujud differs
from that of Ibn - Sina and
Aristotle . Ibn - Sina's opinion concerning existence/wujud
is based on the principle of the distinction between existence/ wujud and quiddity. The word
which has, in Ibn - Sina's
ontology, a pivotal role is the existent, not the ess/wujud.
He accepts the ess/wujud as a metaphysical element
differing from quiddity; dividing the existent into
the necessary and the possible, he propounded the concept of the existent due
to its being kind to the existent itself. He asserts that what may be divided
into the necessary and the possible is the concept of the existent which may be
essential or non-essential.
The
transition from the existent to the ess/wujud forms
the core of Mulla Sadra's philosophy.
He lays the foundation of his metaphysics on the primacy of existence, and constantly
places stress on the necessity of differentiating between the two concepts of existence/
wujud, that is the existent which is the second phiJosophical intellect and theobjective
external truth of existence/ wujud which may he
conceived by the immediate knowledge.
Unlike
Ibn - Sina, Mulla Sadra passing from the
existent to the existence does no longer claim that the fusion of existence/wujud and quiddity is the
criterion for the possible necessity and its distinction from the necessary.
Instead of essential possibility, he introduces the contingent possibility and
instead of the difference between the possible and the necessary, which refer
to both beings, he introduces the distinction between the stages of the truth
of existence. He does not believe that the distinction between quiddity and the division of the existent into the
necessary and the possible is sufficient for explaining the universe. He uses
this principle, that is the primacy of existence/wujud over the quiddity as the
cornerstone of ontological proof in his philosophy. Thus, he breathes the
spirit of Ibn - Sina's
philosophy in the primacy of existence/wujud. On this
basis, the definition he gives of God differs from that of Farabi
or Ibn - Sina. According to
Mulla Sadra who believes in
the primacy of existence, to be essential is not just to be through one's
essence. For the obligatoriness of existence, in
addition to being true and having no determinative dignity and intermediary for
accidents, one must be needless of etiological dignity. According to this world
vision, the relation between the Creator and the existent changes totally and the
philosopher faces a newer and deeper outlook in this regard. What is regarded
as all other than God are but the manners and manifestations of absolute being
as a personal affair.
In
studying the issues concerning the truth of wujud/existence,
Mulla Sadra expounds his
theories of nature and offers a new theory on essence, accident, matter and
form which simultaneously resolves the issue of time and trans-substantial
motion. It is in the light of the trans-substantial motion that he offers a new
philosophy on natural matters, and metaphysics including the temporal createdness of the universe, the relation between the
changeable and the fixed, the creation of the world, the continual creation,
the relation between the soul and the body, the resurrection of the body and
other matters relating to resurrection.
The
present article attempts to explain the difference between the fundamental principle
in the ontology of Ibn - Sina
and Mulla Sadra; it is, in
fact, a short study of the important topics gaining a new identity in the light
of Mulla Sadra's theory on existence.
The most important points taken into consideration in the present study, consist of three parts: the first part attempts to
substantiate the point that the pivotal word in Mulla
Sadra's ontology is existence/wujud,
not the existent and that the transition from the existent to the (existence/wujud) is the specific attribute of the transcendent theosophy.
In the second part, the essential possibility is explained as the most
fundamental principle in Mulla Sadra's
main changes compared to the distinction between existence/wujud
and the quiddity in Ibn - Sina's philosophy. The third part studies the related
philosophical corollaries to the essential possibility and their differences
from Ibn - Sina's
philosophy.
The Necessary Being's Knowledge
According To Mulla Sadra
Dr.A.Beheshti
Doctrine
of the Necessary Being's knowledge interjected by the Sadrean
Transcendent Theosophy is an advanced version of the Illuminationist
and Peripatetic doctrines. From among the various doctrines, a doctrine has springed out, in which God is regarded as knowing His
Essence and other than His Essence; this doctrine affirms the detailed
knowledge of other than Essence both before and simultaneous with the creation.
And all three knowledges are in the mode of knowledge
by presence and not acquired one.
Explanation of Sadrean Doctrine
According
to Ibn-Sina, the structure of intelligible forms and
the cognitive system of the Necessary Being is a criterion for the knowledge
both before the creation and simultaneous with the creation and even after the creation.
Therefore, like the knowledge simultaneous with the creation, the knowledge
before the creation is a detailed one.
According
to Shaykh al - Ishraq,
having the intelligible forms and the cognitive system of the Necessary
eliminated, the criterion for the knowledge simultaneous with the creation is
the presence of the specific forms. For the knowledge before the creation,
however, there remains no criterion except that the knowledge of the cause requires
the knowledge of the caused one; and this is nothing but the Essence's collective
knowledge of other than Essence.
Through
rejecting the Peripatetic doctrine, Mulla Sadra has tried to regard, like Shaykh
Ishraq, the knowledge simultaneous with the creation
same as the presence of the specific forms, and look for a strong criterion for
the detailed knowledge before the creation. He says: "God's knowledge of
the things is same as the existence of the things through the argument of the
Throne".
Huduth Dahri
According to Razi
P.Adhkayi
Philosophers
have called three existential directions of the world three modes of being , which are, in fact, three temporal containers:
1- Sarmad, which
is a relation between the fixed and fixed; that is, pre-eternal and eternal.
2-
dahr, which is
the relation between the fixed and the changing; i.e. between the eternal and
the time;
3- Time, which is the relation between the changing
and the changing; i.e. between
the
created one and the motion.
The
European researchers have always compared Razi with
Isaac Newton and Rene Descartes. We do not need, however, to magnify him
through the so-called researches; since even without such magnifications he is
a great figure, whose value has not been, unfortunately, known, as it should,
in our country.
Those who affirm the time are divided into two
groups:
The
first group are those who regard the knowledge of time
as evident and needless of the argument; and the others are, those who try to
prove it through the arguments. Among the first group is Razi
who has alleged ten arguments to prove thetime's
being evident.
Imagination And Judgment
M.T.Fa'ali
Discussions
on the perception and knowledge are interspersed throughout the books written
in Islamic sciences- whether philosophy or theology or logic or even the science
of methodology (usul). The problem of the
knowledge has led to many other problems, which should be studied. These
problems are as follows:
1-
A part of philosophy is the topic of categories , and
among the high genera is the category of quality, which is divided into 4
general parts. The psychical qualities form a kind of qualities. Muslim
philosophers have regarded the knowledge as being included in this kind, and
approached to the knowledge from an ontological point of view.
2-
One of the most important philosophical issues is the knowledge of the soul in which
the perception is discussed. In this regard, the role played by the philosopher
of the 5th century (A.D.), Ibn Sina
is the most significant role.
3-
Also among the philosophical issues is the problem of the "intelligence,
intelligent and intelligible" which was interjected in the time of Fakhr Razi; and inAsfar, it is more than any other issue of
the knowledge topic discussed.
4-
The mental existence, which is among the novel issues. Introducing this issue,
the philosophers were to show the importance of the knowledge and the mind
(Subject's) being representative of the object.
5-
The secondary intelligibles, which is another
philosophical issue that is in relation with the topic of the knowledge and
perception.
6-"The criterion for the truth of the
propositions" which suggests that the propositions have a relation with
the fact-itself. Though including only the Judgments and
propositions, and not the imaginations, at the same time, it examines a part of
man's acquired knowledge from a particular point of view.
7-
"The quiddity and its statements". In this
regard, issues such as the mentally positedness of
the quiddities, and the question of the particular and universal are introduced.
These issues are, in fact, a sort of knowledge of the mind.
8-
In logic we come to questions, which are in relation with the issue of
knowledge; and from a point of view, the logic is in fact, description and
explanation of the mind.
9-
A part of Islamic philosophy is theology in the particular senseof
the term, in which, after affirming the existence of God and analyzing the
Divine attributes and names, the attributes of the Truth are discussed
individually. Among the Necessary's attributes is His knowledge, in whose
analyzing, the knowledge of man is accordingly discussed.
10- In the
methodology we are confronted with issues such as universal and particular,
absolute and restricted. In this science some of verbal issues provide subtle analysis
of the world of the mind.
THE ISSUE OF KNOWLEDGE
In
the Islamic world the question of the knowledge has been discussed from two
points of view, and the intellectual sciences have approached to the perception
from two various directions. Sometimes it is approached from the issues such as
the separation of the perception, the levels of the perceptions, accidentiality of the knowledge and perceptive faculties.
In this case, what is discussed is the existence of theknowledge . Therefore, a
group of issues can be classified under the ontology of the knowledge.
Concerning the knowledge, there is, at the same time, another kind of the issues
introduced as well: classifying the knowledge under "the acquired"
and "by presence" and then under "the imagination" and
"Judgment", and still then, under the immediate and speculative,
mentally posited ones, secondary intelligibles..., In
this case, the knowledge is approached from a conceptual point of view.
Then
if we look at the knowledge independently, and consider its existence, the
first category of the issues will be introduced; but if we consider it
organically and pay attention to its conceptual and representative mode, we
will be confronted with the other issues.
REPRESENTATIVENESS OF THE IMAGINATION
Concerning
the mechanism of theimaginations' being
representatives of the reality, various points of view have been interjected.
The first point of view: some
of the contemporary thinkers regard the knowledge, whether imaginative or
judicial, as a representative of the reality. The essential and inseparable
characteristic of the knowledge has been always its representativeness.
Thus, without suggesting what is beyond it, the knowledge is not other than
ignorance. Therefore, imaginations, since they are a kind of the knowledge, are
actually the representatives of the external world.
Among
the issues associated with this point of view is that, imaginations should not be
in error, and for instance the senses should not err.
The
second point of view: the imagination does not actually represent the external world;
but it is, in effect, potentially representative. The imagination, if taken
into account separately, is not representative; at the same time, however, it
is potentially representative. Then the imagination, if taken into account
separately, is potentially a representative of the external world, and what
turns this potentiality to actuality is an appendix,which is the Judgment. Thus,only the Judgments are, epistemologically, of value.
The
third point of view: the imaginations, regardless of their forms, are
epistemologically, of no value. They lack even the potential value; thus the imaginations
are, in no way, representatives of the reality.
This
point of view cannot be accepted, because 1) a particular imagination occurs
always under the particular conditions, and can be matched with the same origin
and represents it; 2) the denial of the representativeness
of the imaginations is, in fact, the denial of the principle of causality;
since, for example, the sense imaginations occurs for the soul as impressions,
and while sensing the mind is influenced. If the sensing is same as to be influenced, then according to causality it
requires an influencing thing and the latter cannot be at the level of former.
Then it is out of it and plays a role in the createdness
of an imaginary impact on the mind.
Thirdly,
if, concerning the imaginations, we are not realists then, as regards the principles,
we cannot deem any evident imagination as true; while the Muslim philosophers
regard the principles (whether imaginary or judicial) as true.
Descartes
And Ibn-Sina On The Soul
Fadlollah Khaliqian
This
article is to analize the doctrines of two great
philosophers, Descarets and Ibn-Sina
on the soul.
As
he himself said, Descartes, while doubting on anything, was sure that " cogito ergo sum"( I think, therefore I am).
He found this an unquestionable fact,
therefore he took it as the first principle.
After
Descartes, some objections have been posed against his doctrine; for example
the objection, posed by Ibn-Sina. Ibn-Sina
believed that thinking is among the soul's acts, and the soul cannot be
affirmed through one of its own acts; for, by the thinking, either the thinking
in the universal sense of the term is meant( through which we reach the
universal thinker, and not the particular soul) or the thinking of a particular
individual is meant; and in the latter case, it is absurd to go to find
"the unknown"( since in this case " the unknown" is assumed
to be known beforehand.)
Principles
of Interpretation And
Quranic Hermeneutics According To
Mulla Sadra
Presented in the
Conference of Quran, Text & Interpretation SOAS Cuniversity of
Ayatollah S.M.Khamenei
An
analysis of the different styles of the Qur'anic
interpretation would of course be imperfect without alluding to the great
commentator of the Holy Qur'an, namely Mulla Sadra. In feet, his method
in the commentary is one of the best interpretive methods of the Holy Qur'an. Mulla Sadra 's commentary is, basically, a gnostic
one; but since he was expert in all the scientific disciplines of his time,
sometimes he has paid attention to some subjects that other commentators have
investigated; and since he was well-versed in Arabic literature, sometimes he
has discussed literary points.
Mulla Sadra
believes that, as the world that has three physical, otherworldly and supra-otherworldly
levels, the Holy Qur'an, too, has the same spiritual
and conceptual levels and degrees, since it is the "
manifestation" of all these three worlds. Its first degree is of
the verbal category, and all those who are familiar with Arabic, understand it.
But the other degrees are spiritual, hidden or "esoteric" and
understanding them is possible in a realm other than the realm of words. The
knowledge, obtained by the commentator of the Holy Qur'an,
is, in fact, seeing these levels through the interior senses, and in the other
words, it is a sort of union with the world of being. Perhaps, according to gnostics and Mulla Sadra each person can finds a something from the Holy Qur'an, apart from those found by others. And every person
finds something in the holy Qur'an,
according to his/her capacity.
According
to Mulla Sadra, Ta'wil(hermeneutic
interpretation), in his intended meaning, is a necessity for interpretation. It
has connections with the world of existence, beyond the verbal and exterior of
the Holy Qur'an. There are many secrets, mysteries
and meanings, which cannot be understood or explained by verbal commentary.
Therefore, a true commentator has to interpret those words, i.e. to plunge into
the depth of their meanings and " interiors".
Ta'wil of the Holy Qur'an
is not opposite to its exterior, rather it is its supplement, and the meanings
of the Holy Qur'an are like the core of the seed; and
its exoteric meanings and words are like the shell of seed (Tafsir-e Ayat al-kursi). Ta'wil according to
the Holy Qur'an, is of two kinds: the correct Ta'wil
and the false one.
The
false Ta'wil not only keeps the
commentator far from the true meaning of the Text, but also it may lead to some
evils in the society. As it is written in the Holy Qur'an,
those in hearts is doubt pursue, forsooth, that which is allegorical seeking( to cause) dissension by seeking to interpret it
hermeneutically.( the Holy Qur'an/ 3/7).
Ta'wil, in the correct sense of the term,
u-> approaching the Holy Qur'an and plunging into
its depth and different layers, and the innermost of its meanings.
Mulla Sadra
says that there are pre-conditions for interpreting and perceiving the depth of
the meaning of the Holy Qur'an and not all people are
equal to the task. The main conditions are, turning away from the material
world and its enjoyments, spiritual discipline and exercises, and an intrinsic
-preparedness.
Criteria of the Divine attribution
A.Shiraz
Having proved the first Origin, the Divine Unity, and
the simplicity of the Divine Essence, Ibn-Sina intejects the attributes of the Necessary Being under two
categories:
First- the universal issues such as the kinds of
attributes and the criteria for attributing God throug
attributes, the criteria for negating some other attributes, and
analyzing
attributes such as knowledge, power, will... individually.
The
fact that, in terms of the existential reality and existential perfections, God
is also unrivalled, is resulted from the fact that the Truth's- the Exalted-
special existence, because of its own special relaity,
is other than the existence in the other things and,since the Divine attributes are same as the Divine
Essence, this is also the case for the attributes.
First-
In other than God, the perfections are supervened on their essences; in God,
however, they are same as God's existence.Second- In
the Truth-the Exalted- The existence and existential perfections are necessary
and essential; in the other things, however, they are possible and caused by God-
the Exalted.
Third-
The Divine attributes are attributed to Him, in a way which is deserved Him.
For example, in the knowledge of His Essence, God cotemplates
on His Essence, and this cotemplation requires the
contemplation on other than God, and this contemplation since it is the origin
for the emanation of the act, is power as well.
Fourth-
In the Truth- the Exalted- the attributes arc realized in the mostperfect mode, that is, the Divine perfections are
combined with no non-existence. Therefore, same as the existence of the Truth- the
Exalted- which is not combined with the non-existence, his knowledge is not
combined with ignorance, and his power is not combined with disability.