انوار معرفت

Intuitionistic Facts in the View of the Mystics
of Ibn-e Arabian Gnostics

Seyyed Yadollah Yazdan Panah / High level professor of Philosophy and Mysticism at Hawzah

Reza Dargahi far / MA student of Islamic Mysticism, IKI dargahifarreza@gmail.com

Received: 2014/05/12- Accepted: 2014/09/29

Abstract

The intuitionistic facts of the State of Essence are the modes, dispositions and attributes of that indivisible Essence. Since these facts have not been clearly defined and are not decisive factors of the Essence, they are liable to doom in the Essence. Intuitionistic facts don’t create actual multiplicity in the Essence and are hidden in the mystery of the Essence; that is, they are not visible. These facts are true in terms of the unity of the Essence; that is, the modes represent the unity of the Essence. Ibn-e Arabian gnostics use such words like deprecation, intuitionism, secrecy, undiffrentiation, latency, and potency in order to refer to these facts. They give some explanations about the way of the presence of these facts in the Essence on which they depend on existence, and use some examples to make them clearer. Mystically, these facts should be regarded as having a especial kind of metaphorical or accidental existence.

This paper discusses intuitionistic facts with emphasis on the State of Essence. The ideals and essential states of the State of Essence are the most important examples of intuitionistic facts in Mohieddini mysticism. The central point of the discussion, however, has a general character and applies to the other examples of these facts.

Key words: intuitionistic facts, the state of essence, metaphorical or accidental realization, Ibn-e Arabian gnostics.

A Review of Mulla Sadra's Interpretation
of Foreknowledge Discussed in Islamic Mysticism

Abdulrasool ‘Oboudiyyat / Professor of IKI

Mahmud Sharifi / MA Student of Islamic Mysticism, IKI m-sharifi35@mihanmail.ir

Received: 2014/06/09 - Accepted: 2014/11/01

Abstract

Among the issues which have been thoroughly studied by all Muslim scholars is “God,s foreknowledge of things”. Contrary to early philosophers, Mulla Sadra, one of the Muslim philosophers provides a rational explanation of this knowledge in two areas: essence and contrary-to-essence, which is compatible to God’s unity and simplicity. In his philosophical works, he presents two interpretations which are totally different from that presented by gnostics. First, citing the outward meaning of the words of gnostics, he considers their view to be equal to that of the Mu’tazilites; both lacking proofs, Then, resting on gnostics' hidden facts and sayings, he regards their view about God’s foreknowledge of things, as the deepest and most precise. The present paper reviews Mulla Sadra's two different interpretations gnostics' view about God’s foreknowledge of things and examines their compatibility or incompatibility with gnostics' view.

Key words: God, foreknowledge, names, eternal essences, things, Mulla Sadra, gnostics, Mu’tazilites.

Perfect Man; the Mystical
and Anthropological Principles of Pluralism

Alireza Kermani / Assistant professor, IKI Kermania59@yahoo.com

Mohammad Mahmodi / MA of Islamic mysticism, IKI araki.mahmoodi@gmail.com

Received: 2014/05/30 - Accepted: 2014/10/14

Abstract

Today, the legitimacy or illegitimacy of religions represents one of the challenging issues to which theologians' thoughts have assigned primary importance. Three main view are expressed in this respect: monopolisticism, universalism and religious pluralism. Pluralists largely rely on the statements of mystics to support their view and believe that mystics think as they do. Furthermore, mystics' thought about this point is derived from special principles which require to be examined; otherwise the discussion cannot be formal. Investigating the mystical anthropological principle and the question of perfect man, the paper seeks to make explicit the unique ontological and epistemological status which, mystics say, the Prophet (pbuh) and so, this, in their view, proves the superiority of Islam, which, they regard as a manifestation of the best ever discovery for creatures.

Key words: religious pluralism, anthropology, perfect man, Islamic mysticism, mystical epistemology.

Hafez Mysticism

Masood Esma’ili / Assistant Professor of Culture and Thought Research Center masud.esmaeili@yahoo.com

Hasan Ahmadi / MA student of theology, IKI amin1980306@yahoo.com

Received: 2014/02/02 - Accepted: 2014/06/18

Abstract

Hafez’s mysticism is one of the important and wide issues in the present era. Referring to some words like wine, beloved, cup bearer and cup used in Hafez sonnets, some intellectuals exclude Hafez from the utopia of mysticism and regard him as an atheist, pleasure seeker and swinger. On the contrary, some others, in line with many predecessors, firmly believe in Hafez’s mysticism. Still some others hold the belief that he is merely a poet not belonging to any of the other social classes. Through historical or exophoric references on the one hand, and endophoric references on the other hand, and with an emphasis on symbolism in Hafez poetry as an outstanding feature of mystical literature, this paper seeks to develop and confirm the theory of Hafez’s mysticism.

Key words: Hafez, poet, mysticism, wine, mystical literature, symbol.

Spiritual Wayfaring in the View of the Holy Prophet’s Household

Jawad Goli / PhD student of philosophy of religion, IKI Rzgoli639@gmail.com

Received: 2014/05/30 - Accepted: 2014/10/14

Abstract

The most important aim of Islam is man’s spiritual wayfaring towards God and seeking nearness to Him. The present paper seeks to show the style of spiritual wayfaring, followed by the Holy Prophet’s Household. Resting on the hadiths narrated from the Holy Prophet and Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) and using an analytical-descriptive method, this paper seeks to expound their teachings on spiritual wayfaring. In their view, spiritual wayfaring points out the way to God and nearness to and annihilation in Him. For traversing this path, one cannot do without the guidelines of the pioneers in spiritual wayfaring. The wayfarer should remove the internal and external obstacles in the path leading to God; thus attaining the four-fold stages of spiritual wayfaring; namely, Islam, faith, piety, and certainty, taking into account the factors of spiritual wayfaring, the umbrella of which is obedience to God.

Key words: the Holy Prophet’s Household, aim of spiritual wayfaring, the obstacles in the path of spiritual wayfaring, factors of spiritual wayfaring, stages of spiritual wayfaring.

God's Vision in the View of Allamah Tabatabaii
(based on Al-Mizan Commentary)

Hadi Tavakkoli / Ph.D. Student of Philosophy at Humanities and Cultural Studies Research Center.

iranianhadi@yahoo.com

Ali Shirvani / Associate professor of transcendental philosophy and theology at Hawzah and Daneshgah research center shirvani@rihu.ac.ir

Received: 2014/07/19 - Accepted: 2014/12/01

Abstract

The issue of God's vision has long been the special concern of different nations and schools of thought. In the Muslim world, several remarks have been made by the scholars about this issue. Some scholars ascribe visual type of vision to God, some others reject this type of vision and seek to show the purpose of the verses and traditions that are concerned with God's vision, still others tend to stick to the surface structure of such verses and traditions and argue that meaning of vision is not limited to visual type. A group of scholars take no notice of the surface meaning of the Quran and devote their attention interpreting the verses and traditions. Resting on the related traditions, the late Allamah Tabatabaii believes in the idea of spiritual type of vision of God and rejects the idea of visual type of vision because God is high exalted above corporeality. In his view, spiritual vision of God means intuitive knowledge of Him, not acquired knowledge.

Key word: God's vision, intuitive knowledge, acquired knowledge, necessary knowledge.