List of articles (by subject) Studies on gnosis and Islamic Kalam
-
Open Access Article
1 - Voluntary Death in the View of Seyyed Ḥaydar Āmulī: A Gnostic and Psychological Analysis
Fatemeh Kookaram Abdullah Salavati Einollah KhademiThis study investigates voluntary death and its different types in the view of Seyyed Ḥaydar Āmulī and aims to provide a gnostic, psychological, and philosophical analysis of the issue. The authors believe that each type of voluntary death is a kind of practical wayfari MoreThis study investigates voluntary death and its different types in the view of Seyyed Ḥaydar Āmulī and aims to provide a gnostic, psychological, and philosophical analysis of the issue. The authors believe that each type of voluntary death is a kind of practical wayfaring. The main question of this study is how one can provide a gnostic and psychological analysis of different types of death as viewed by Seyyed Ḥaydar Āmulī. The findings of this study indicate that the common feature of all types of death is detaching oneself from worldly belongings and moving away from them. Examples are different and could include moving away from hunger, wearing specific clothes, etc. As mentioned before, this study provides a gnostic and psychological analysis of voluntary death; for example, green death means wearing cheap clothes. Therefore, by avoiding expensive and luxurious clothes, the wayfarer dies a voluntary death. Green is the symbol of balance and subsistence, and the wayfarer attains balance and immortality through voluntary death and keeping away from worldly whims and desires. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
2 - Manifestation of Sadrian Philosophy in Imam Khomeini’s Glosses on Qayṣarī’s Introduction
Gholamreza HosseinpourThe fourth chapter of Qayṣarī’s Introduction to Ibn ‘Arabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam discusses substances and accidents following a gnostic approach and is mainly intended to explain the merciful soul. However, there is also an extensive discussion of gnostics’ merciful soul usi MoreThe fourth chapter of Qayṣarī’s Introduction to Ibn ‘Arabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam discusses substances and accidents following a gnostic approach and is mainly intended to explain the merciful soul. However, there is also an extensive discussion of gnostics’ merciful soul using a philosophical language. Imam Khomeini has criticized Qayṣarī’s explanation in a commentary based on the Transcendent Philosophy. At the end of the same chapter, Qayṣarī has mentioned some points about the meaning of individuation and its types. In another commentary, Imam Khomeini has provided an accurate explanation of different types of individuation using a gnostic language. This meaning of individuation and its types as discussed by Qayṣarī has been almost completely propounded in the third chapter of the fourth level of general affairs in al-Asfār, which reflects the great influence of Ibn ‘Arabī’s gnostic tradition, in general, and Qayṣarī’s Introduction, in particular, on Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophy. In Qayṣarī’s view, accidents must function as the differentia of substances while, in the view of Mullā Ṣadrā and, following him, Imam Khomeini, Substance is the differentia of substance and not accident. Qayṣarī believes that sometimes individuation is the same as essence and sometimes an addition to it. Nevertheless, Imam Khomeini maintains that individuation does not essentially apply to the essence of Almighty Truth because it is among the effects of attributive manifestations. However, what enjoys the oneness of all individuations is the supreme name and perfect Man. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an accurate explanation, analysis, and criticism of Qayṣarī’s Introduction and Imam Khomeini’s commentary on this work. Imam Khomeini has criticized Qayṣarī in one commentary based on the Sadrian philosophy and, in another one, has discussed his own standpoints based on, in fact, a part of al-Asfār. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
3 - A Critical Study of the Book, The Bezel of Infallible Wisdom in the Word Fatemi
Mahmoud SaidiyFaṣṣ ḥikmat ‘iṣmatīyyah fī kalimat fāṭimmīyyah is the title of a book by Hassanzadeh Amuli, which has been written following the method of Ibn ‘Arabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam and as a supplementary to this book. In this book, the writer has dealt with the mysterious and all-inc MoreFaṣṣ ḥikmat ‘iṣmatīyyah fī kalimat fāṭimmīyyah is the title of a book by Hassanzadeh Amuli, which has been written following the method of Ibn ‘Arabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam and as a supplementary to this book. In this book, the writer has dealt with the mysterious and all-inclusive character of Lady Fāṭimah (‘a) as a perfect and infallible human being. Such a discussion is an innovative move in theoretical gnosis from certain aspects; however, it suffers from some defects: 1) the related ḥadīths and their narrative proofs have not been quoted with sufficient accuracy; some of the mentioned ḥadīths cannot be found in narrative sources, and some others have been quoted from invalid ones; 2) the attribute of the queen of virtue is not solely applied to Lady Fāṭimah (‘a); therefore, it seems wrong to limit such a chapter to her; 3) Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam begins with the chapter of humanity and ends with the chapter of Muhammedan. Since the true heirs of the Holy Prophet (ṣ) depend on him in their nominal manifestations, the gnostic principles and problems regarding Lady Fāṭimah (‘a) can be sub-categorized under the chapter of Muhammedan and do not need an independent section. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
4 - Corporeal Resurrection Based on Ibn ‘Arabī’s Gnostic Principles
Hadi Jafary Ali Arshad RiahiIbn Arabi is one of the gnostics who has paid particular attention to Man’s corporeal resurrection and its quality in his works. When demonstrating corporeal resurrection, he mainly relies on unveiling and intuition rather than rational demonstration. However, the autho MoreIbn Arabi is one of the gnostics who has paid particular attention to Man’s corporeal resurrection and its quality in his works. When demonstrating corporeal resurrection, he mainly relies on unveiling and intuition rather than rational demonstration. However, the authors of this paper believe that Man’s posthumous corporeal dimension in purgatory and the hereafter can also be proved based on Ibn ‘Arabī’s gnostic principles. Apart from the quality of corporeal resurrection, the question is whether corporeal resurrection itself can be demonstrated relying on such principles or not. This study, which was carried out following the method of content analysis, aimed to provide a convenient response to this question and, thus, concluded that corporeal resurrection is demonstrable based on some of Ibn ‘Arabī’s principles such as Man’s distinction and determination in the process of ascent, the relationship between the macro-anthropo and micro-anthoropo, the theory of contrasting names, nobility of sensory faculties, creation of Man in God’s face, gnostic knowledge of the soul, Man’s level of comprehensiveness and moderation, and repetition in epiphany and renewal of likes. The authors also conclude that the idea that Man is originally an incorporeal existent and finally returns to his incorporeal birthplace is absurd. They argue that the human face must possess a body; hence, even if Shari’a has not spoken of corporeal resurrection, it can be proved based on gnostic principles. Manuscript profile -
Open Access Article
5 - A Critique of Ibn ‘Arabī’s Ideas on the Concept of Manifestation Based on the Qur’ān and Shi’ite Traditions
Fereshteh Samiee Amir Tohidi Mohammad Kazem Rezazadeh JoudiManifestation (tajallī) is a frequently used concept in Islamic tradition, the interpretation of which has a great influence on ethical, epistemological, and religious beliefs. The background of this term goes back to the Holy Qur’ān and some ḥadīths with Muslim thinker MoreManifestation (tajallī) is a frequently used concept in Islamic tradition, the interpretation of which has a great influence on ethical, epistemological, and religious beliefs. The background of this term goes back to the Holy Qur’ān and some ḥadīths with Muslim thinkers having provided several interpretations for it. Prior to Ibn ‘Arabī, manifestation was, more than anything else, a mystic concept that referred to the quality of the ontological-epistemological closeness of the wayfarer to Almighty Truth through removing veils and revealing the acts, attributes, and essence of God. However, Ibn ‘Arabī’s particular views and interpretation of this term were different from those of others. The present study employs a descriptive-analytic method in order to comparatively investigate the uses of the concept of manifestation in Ibn ‘Arabī’s view and in Islamic verses and traditions to reveal their similarities and differences. The findings of this study demonstrate that Ibn ‘Arabī’s ideas regarding some important discussions such as the definitions of manifestation, similarity, and essence or absolute non-existence; absolute judgment about God’s essence; limited terms; Man’s concepts of God; God’s manifestation in the Hereafter, and manifestation of denial are greatly different from the views in Islamic verses and traditions in relation to the concept of manifestation. Manuscript profile