List of Articles Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi

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  1 - A Study of the Principles and Methodology of T’awil in Ibn Arabi’s Gnostic Works
  Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi
  In spite of some disagreements, t’awil or esoteric exegesis can be considered to be Ibn Arabi’s methods of learning about the reality. This paper mainly discusses his principles and methodology in t’awil. Some of the principles dominating Ibn Arabi’s study of t’awil inc More

  In spite of some disagreements, t’awil or esoteric exegesis can be considered to be Ibn Arabi’s methods of learning about the reality. This paper mainly discusses his principles and methodology in t’awil. Some of the principles dominating Ibn Arabi’s study of t’awil include obtaining interpretation from the Truth, favoring the intellect while considering it to be insufficient, emphasizing the meanings of words and structural rules underlying the formation of sentences, and paying attention to the text and outward meaning of Qur’anic verses. He maintains that t’awil is a multi-level task. For him, it only reveals one aspect of the meanings of words, and an ambiguous sentence does not lose its ambiguity through t’awil. Therefore, gnostics should always be cautious in expressing their allusions. Ibn Arabi calls this method of his and other gnostics as allusion as opposed to interpretation. While attributing this method of expression to Almighty Truth, he refers to two aspects in choosing it. He views interpretation the same as allusion form one aspect and different from it from another aspect. One of the important purposes of Ibn Arabi in t’awil is encouraging and prompting his addressees to become involved in spiritual wayfaring. Some of the other features of t’awili expressions of this prominent gnostic include stating gnostic principles and referring to Qur’anic verses, hadiths, and traditions. Manuscript profile
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  2 - Methodology of T’awil in the View of Fayd Kashani with an Emphasis on the Role of Ontology
  Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi
  In Fayd Kashani’s view, t’awil (esoteric interpretation) is a strategy for attaining the innermost and depth of meaning. He believes that denying t’awil is a sign of superficiality. His writings, particularly his two books of ‘Ayn al-yaqin and Usul al-m‘arif and his Miz More

  In Fayd Kashani’s view, t’awil (esoteric interpretation) is a strategy for attaining the innermost and depth of meaning. He believes that denying t’awil is a sign of superficiality. His writings, particularly his two books of ‘Ayn al-yaqin and Usul al-m‘arif and his Mizan al-qiyamah treatise, testify to the supreme place of ontology in discovering the secrets of religious teachings. Fayd’s research in the field of t’awil is based on his philosophical-gnostic thoughts. He conceives of ontology as a window through which one should view the vast spread of revealed teachings. The writer believes that the treatise of al-Insaf introduces Fayd’s methodology of t’awil. Moreover, it describes the process of the writer’s journey towards the truth. According to this gnostic philosopher, some of the conditions that are necessary for one’s attaining the knowledge of t’awil include recognizance of theoretical and practical wisdom, spiritual perfection, patience, and truth seeking. Manuscript profile
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  3 - Mullā Ṣadrā and the Critical Methodology of the Exoteric Understanding of Religion
  Somayeh Malleki Mahdi Emami Jomee Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi
  Exoteric and superficial interpretations of religion have always existed in the social history of religions, and some of them have given rise to a number of uncompromising and takfīrī trends. This has resulted in the portrayal of a coarse, cruel, and dogmatic face for r More

  Exoteric and superficial interpretations of religion have always existed in the social history of religions, and some of them have given rise to a number of uncompromising and takfīrī trends. This has resulted in the portrayal of a coarse, cruel, and dogmatic face for religion. The criticism of such exoteric interpretations was one of the essential components of Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophy. He devoted at least two of his works, Kasr al-aṣnām al-jāhiliyyah and Sih asl treatise, completely to this theme. This critical approach in Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophy has various dimensions, which have not received the attention that they truly deserve. Therefore, following descriptive and content/document analysis methods, this study aims to present and examine such dimensions. These dimensions include linguistic, rational, and psychological elements in understanding religion. An overall study of the mentioned elements indicates that exoterism may result in the rise of religious dogmatism, flaring up of raging arguments, emergence of mundane and pseudo-scholars instead of true scholars, and development of the culture of hypocrisy and discord. Manuscript profile
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  4 - An Analytic Study of Mullā Ṣadrā’s Criticisms of Mutikallīmūn’s Views of Man’s Identity
  Somayeh Malleki Mahdi Emami Jomee Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi
  The Problem of the corporeal nature of what is other than God is of particular importance among Kalāmī theorems and is also among the few discussions about which almost all Kalāmī trends are unanimous. Mutikallīmūn believe that everything other than God, including Man a More

  The Problem of the corporeal nature of what is other than God is of particular importance among Kalāmī theorems and is also among the few discussions about which almost all Kalāmī trends are unanimous. Mutikallīmūn believe that everything other than God, including Man and other existents, are bodily entities and introduce immaterial existents as absolutely perfect and self-sufficient truths. The exoteric, objective, and inclusive Kalāmī view necessitates and confirms the corporeality of Man’s identity and truth. Mullā Ṣadrā was among the thinkers who opposed mutikallīmūn’s corporealist view and tried to present a comprehensive and philosophical interpretation of Man’s reality and identity or an image which could exercise a positive influence on their individual and social life. Following a descriptive and documentary method and content analysis, the present study presents a critical review of Mullā Ṣadrā’s approach to mutikallīmūn’s views and demonstrates that his definition of Man’s identity and existential capacity is completely different from and even in contrast to that of mutikallīmūn. Unlike Mullā Ṣadrā, they consider such elements extremely trivial and limited, which is why their views suffer from several defects and problems. Manuscript profile
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  5 - Place of Intellect in Shaykh al-Mufīd’s Kalāmī Thoughts with an Emphasis on a Critical Analysis of Existing Views
  Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi
  The value of reason and rational perceptions is indisputably obvious in Shaykh al-Mufīd’s view. However, it is his view of the authority of reason which is to some extent debatable. His statement as to “reason requires to give an ear to knowledge and its consequences” h More

  The value of reason and rational perceptions is indisputably obvious in Shaykh al-Mufīd’s view. However, it is his view of the authority of reason which is to some extent debatable. His statement as to “reason requires to give an ear to knowledge and its consequences” has given rise to some debates. Commentators have interpreted such statements of Shaykh al-Mufīd in different ways, which can be classified into two categories with the second one consisting of two approaches by itself. It is worth noting that both of them are inconsistent with a part of Shaykh al-Mufīd’s ideas. Based on a critical analysis of existing views, the author believes that theory and practice are separate from each other. In other words, it seems that, Shaykh al-Mufīd believes in the independent authority of reason in practice; however, he has different theoretical views, and one cannot find any idea regarding the authority of autonomous reason which has not been challenged. This paper discusses the problem of reason and a number of related issues such as the definition, function, authority of reason, and the relationship between reason and revelation. Manuscript profile
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  6 - The Relationship Between Gratitude and Happiness in the Transcendent Philosophy
  Nafiseh  Ahl Sarmadi
  20.1001.1.15600874.1401.27.3.6.0
  Mullā Ṣadrā believes that “gratitude” is a level and station that Man can attain and considers the knowledge and perception of the truth of gratitude to depend on anthropology. The three-fold pillars of gratitude in his view consist of knowledge, happiness, and act. Act More

  Mullā Ṣadrā believes that “gratitude” is a level and station that Man can attain and considers the knowledge and perception of the truth of gratitude to depend on anthropology. The three-fold pillars of gratitude in his view consist of knowledge, happiness, and act. Act is the prerequisite for attaining happiness, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for acquiring knowledge. Therefore, knowledge is the basis for gratitude, and act functions as a prerequisite to it. Accordingly, one can say that a truly thankful person is always happy, which manifests itself in practice in the form of benevolence, generosity, and sympathy. The reason behind this happiness and kindness to all people is the belief in God and His Oneness. In the Transcendent Philosophy, God is the source of infinite happiness; therefore, any relationship with Him is the same as being connected to the source of happiness and joy. Therefore, it can be concluded that gratitude is based on philosophical principles in Mullā Ṣadrā’s works so that reaching the highest level of thankfulness is only possible through attaining wisdom. Manuscript profile