List of Articles Gnosis

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  1 - The Borderline between Gnosis and its Homogeneous Sciences
  Ali  Shirvani
  Gnosis is a familiar term which is frequently used in oral and written culture and has a wide range of meanings. This has resulted in some ambiguity in its various applications, particularly, in its recent usage including “pseudo-gnosis” and “newly developed schools of More

  Gnosis is a familiar term which is frequently used in oral and written culture and has a wide range of meanings. This has resulted in some ambiguity in its various applications, particularly, in its recent usage including “pseudo-gnosis” and “newly developed schools of gnosis”, as well as in discussions such as “the relationship between religion and gnosis”, “the relationship between the intellect and gnosis”, and “the relationship between philosophy and gnosis”. This paper is intended to determine the approximate borderline between gnosis (the science of theoretical gnosis) and philosophy as well as the difference between gnosis (the science of practical gnosis) and ethics through clarifying the meaning and concept of gnosis, distinguishing between practical and theoretical types of wisdom, and explaining the differences between them and the sciences of practical and theoretical types of gnosis. Manuscript profile
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  2 - The Role of the Ideal Level of the Soul in Establishing the Soul-Body Relation in Mulla Sadra’s Philosophy
  Mohammad Miri
  Unlike his preceding philosophers, Mulla Sadra believes that the distance between the rational soul and the corporeal body is too big to be filled merely with the steam-like soul. In addition to the steam-like soul, he considers the existence of Ideal existence as a lin More

  Unlike his preceding philosophers, Mulla Sadra believes that the distance between the rational soul and the corporeal body is too big to be filled merely with the steam-like soul. In addition to the steam-like soul, he considers the existence of Ideal existence as a link between the rational and corporeal levels to be necessary. Mulla Sadra’s graded view of human existence led him, firstly, to introduce Man as having three supreme (rational), low (material), and mid (Ideal) levels. Secondly, he maintained that Man’s Ideal and imaginal level is the link connecting the two higher and lower levels. In order to explain the place of Ideal level in human existence, he resorts to the principle of the “conformity between the macrocosm and microcosm” and considers the two rational and Ideal levels in the human microcosm to be similar to the Heaven and Throne in the macrocosm. As acknowledged by Mulla Sadra himself, he is greatly influenced by gnostics regarding the discussion of Man’s Ideal level. Manuscript profile
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  3 - Henry Corbin’s Studies of Islamic Gnosis with an Emphasis on Hermetic Tradition
  Hossein  Kalbasi Ashtari Hassan  Pashayi
  Based on the studies conducted by a group of Orientalists and Islamologists, the effects of Hermetic thoughts on not only Western religious and philosophical traditions but also on Iranian culture and Islamic philosophy, in general, and on Shaykh Ishraq’s works, in part More

  Based on the studies conducted by a group of Orientalists and Islamologists, the effects of Hermetic thoughts on not only Western religious and philosophical traditions but also on Iranian culture and Islamic philosophy, in general, and on Shaykh Ishraq’s works, in particular, have been quite noteworthy. As a result, a more accurate study of this topic could introduce some new horizons in the realm of comparative religions. Henry Corbin’s studies of Iranian wisdom and spirituality, which follow a phenomenological approach, have paid particular attention to this issue. In a sense, Hermes and Hermetism play significant roles in deciphering the messages of his works in this regard. In his research endeavors, Corbin has focused on Hermetic philosophy as the key to understanding the meanings of spirituality and wisdom. This paper is mainly intended to provide an analytic account of Hermetism, its relationship and interactions with Sufism and Shi‘ism with an emphasis on Corbin’s works. To this end, the writers initially review the structure and basic principles of the Hermetic tradition. Then they provide an analysis of the relationship between Hermetism and Sufism and Shi‘ism from Corbin’s point of view. Finally, they explore his Batini (esoteric) approach, which lies at the heart of his philosophy and underlies his distinctive method of scientific and spiritual wayfaring. Manuscript profile
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  4 - A Study of Qunawi’s Philosophical Gnosis
  Gholamreza  Hosseinpour
  Sadr al-Din Qunawi’s Miftah al-ghayb, as the first book on theoretical gnosis, provided the basis for theoretical or philosophical gnosis. This is because Ibn Arabi, who is known as the father of Islamic theoretical gnosis, did not have enough time for doing so, thus it More

  Sadr al-Din Qunawi’s Miftah al-ghayb, as the first book on theoretical gnosis, provided the basis for theoretical or philosophical gnosis. This is because Ibn Arabi, who is known as the father of Islamic theoretical gnosis, did not have enough time for doing so, thus it was Qunawi who accomplished this task. Alongside the Peripatetic and Illuminationist schools of philosophy, Qunawi founded a school that can be called philosophical gnosis. In spite of his pessimistic view of theoretical intellect, Qunawi acknowledged that unveiling and gnostic taste agree with the theoretical intellect at all stages because they find no contradiction in the proofs of this kind of intellect. Nevertheless, he believes that the perception of such proofs is beyond the capabilities of human imagination. Qunawi tried to reconcile gnostics’ principles of unveiling and philosophical theories. In developing many of his views, he benefitted from Ibn Sina’s al-Isharat and, particularly, Khwajah Nasir al-Din Tusi’s commentary on this book. As a result, one can equate the philosophical language used by Qunawi with that used in the Peripatetic philosophy, particularly with the language employed in Ibn Sina’s al-Isharat, which plays a significant role in granting a philosophical nature to Qunawi’s gnosis. Manuscript profile
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  5 - A Study of the Manifestation of the Theory of Four-fold Journeys in the Architecture of Naqsh-e Jahān Square in Isfahan
  Ahmad Ali  Namdarian Somayeh Khani Parisa Hashempour
  20.1001.1.15600874.1400.26.4.7.6
  Several studies have been conducted on Naqsh-e Jahān Square so far. However, there is still much to explore regarding the reasons behind its construction and development. Some of the many questions that require further research target the present sizes of its dimensions More

  Several studies have been conducted on Naqsh-e Jahān Square so far. However, there is still much to explore regarding the reasons behind its construction and development. Some of the many questions that require further research target the present sizes of its dimensions, the setting of its elements, and the philosophy of using different colors and designs in the various corners of this square. Following two descriptive-analytic and historical-interpretive methods, this study investigated the thoughts and motives behind the architectural design and construction of Naqsh-e Jahān Square. The required data for this study was collected and analyzed through library and content analysis methods. The findings of the study indicate that, in addition to being the Safavid House of Government, this square functioned as a religious-political statement presenting the gnostic-Shi‘ite thoughts which had been hidden in Iranians’ unconscious mind. This square allegorizes the Holy Prophet’s night of ascension and visualizes gnostic wayfaring for wayfarers through reminding them of the different stations of the four-fold journeys. Since the time of Ibn ‘Arabī onwards and, particularly, in Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophy, four stations have been referred to for this mystic journey called the four-fold journeys. The findings of this study show the correspondence between these four journeys with the four main elements of the square. The four journeys represent an allegory and visualization of the Holy Prophet’s journey on the night of ascension, when he travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem and then to heaven. The 1300-m2 circumference of Naqsh-e Jahān Square allegorizes the 1300 km distance between Mecca and Jerusalem. The designs of Qeysarriyah Bazar symbolize the different aspects of daily and worldly life. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque has no courtyard and bed chamber, and the wayfarer only witnesses the manifestations of Almighty Truth by standing under the dome of the mosque. The Abbasi jām‘ Mosque is the symbol of the station of “jam‘ (reunion)” in gnostic journey. The second journey begins with traveling at the khafi (secret) and akhfi (most secret) levels, at which the wayfarer is mortalized. The third stage of wayfaring, which embodies a kind of shari‘at, is a confirmation of the idea of guardianship. At the end of the journey, the wayfarer returns to the threshold of Qeysarriyah again. However, this is not a vicious circle because the wayfarer returns to his true self through experiencing the previous stages. Manuscript profile
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  6 - A Study of Ḥakīm Khājūī’s Objections to the Gnostic Theory of Oneness of Being
  Mahmud  Seydi Mohammad Javad  Pashaei
  20.1001.1.15600874.1400.27.1.3.9
  As the basis of theoretical gnosis, oneness of being has provoked several debates among thinkers in the history of Islamic philosophy. Mullā Ismā‘īl Khājūī, one of the thinkers and Mutikallimun of the Safavid period and post-Sadrian era, has criticized this theory and c More

  As the basis of theoretical gnosis, oneness of being has provoked several debates among thinkers in the history of Islamic philosophy. Mullā Ismā‘īl Khājūī, one of the thinkers and Mutikallimun of the Safavid period and post-Sadrian era, has criticized this theory and challenged it from different aspects. Khājūī rejects this theory based on the ontological differences between the Necessary Being and possible beings, absence of absoluteness in the Necessary Being, the lack of a rational argument for demonstrating the oneness of being, and the inefficiency of the arguments of some gnostics and mystics on proving this oneness. However, the present study postulates that Khājūī’s criticisms originate in confusing the different meanings of certain key terms in philosophical sciences and kalām with those in theoretical gnosis. Nevertheless, it seems that in certain cases, such as gnostics’ failure in adducing a rational argument for demonstrating the oneness of being, his criticism is justified. Manuscript profile
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  7 - Spiritual Journey Based on Dialectical Wayfaring in Plato’s Philosophy and its Compatibility with Gnostic Journeys
  Atiye Zandieh Leila Eftekhari
  20.1001.1.15600874.1402.28.3.7.8
  In Plato’s philosophy and Islamic gnostic tradition, the world and Man enjoy two corporeal and spiritual dimensions. Man’s spiritual dimension can have ascending and descending journeys in the worlds of being. In Islamic gnosis, going through the levels of being – the f More

  In Plato’s philosophy and Islamic gnostic tradition, the world and Man enjoy two corporeal and spiritual dimensions. Man’s spiritual dimension can have ascending and descending journeys in the worlds of being. In Islamic gnosis, going through the levels of being – the five divine presences – has been explained by resorting to the four-fold journeys, which include moving from the creature to the truth, traversing the truth, moving from the truth to the creature and, finally, travelling with the truth in the creature. The spiritual journey in Plato’s philosophy can be explained by using the dialectical wayfaring, analogy of the divided line, and the allegory of the cave. Plato generally dealt with this spiritual journey and did not intend to classify its levels. However, his views can be formulated in a way to conform to these four journeys. In this way, spiritual journey in Plato’s philosophy will include the following four stages: moving from shadows to the world of Ideas, traveling through the Ideas, moving from the world of Ideas to the world of sensibles and, finally, traveling with the Ideas in shadows. Therefore, given the differences between these two schools of thought regarding their views of the highest levels of being and the perfect Man, the first, second, and fourth journeys can be more clearly matched with each other. The third journey can also be matched with one of them but not as clearly as the other three. Gnostics’ religious views, their emphasis on ascetic practice and purification of the soul, and the long time interval between these two systems of thought have resulted in a number of great differences between them. Manuscript profile