Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Khamenei

Having been allowed to reveal a part of the philosophical truths and his own spiritual findings, Sadra proceeded to fight with the armies of ignorance and the serious enemies of knowledge. Sadra who was trained in the schools of Shaykh Baha-al-Din and Mir Damad, which remind us of the school of Pythagorean and Batinis (esoteric school of thought), had devoted a part of his time to teach his own works and in particular Asfar and al-Mabda walMa ad. The rest of his time, however, was spent to train the religious ascetic exercises, like that of Batinis, out of the sight of ill-hearted people to make his qualified and talented students, and in particular Mulla Muhsin Fayd who had stayed in Shiraz with his master, attain knowledge through unveiling and intuition and transcending the rational words, conceptions and demonstrations.

Sometimes this question is raised that how the students approached to him. And to what extent did they enjoy this unrivalled sage?

Before providing a reply it should be noted that prior to Shaykh Majid Bahrani, the province of Pars was mostly under the influence of philosophical and spiritual spirit, governing on that province. Under the influence of Shii Batinis, in that province an inclination to philosophy and in particular Illuminationist philosophy, Mysticism and Sufism was witnessed so that it has been calledBurj-al-Urafa (the tower of the mystics). Though being governed apparently by the theology (Kalam), but as we have already said, in Shii centers the science of theology had always tinged with philosophy and fostered the philosophy.

The advent of Safavid dynasty also strengthened this trend. This enthusiasm to the philosophy and mysticism survived until the time of Shah Abbass I who overthrew the Sufists by the help of the jurisprudents and the people of hadith. Also it should be noted that the influence of Hanbali jurisprudence, which always opposed to philosophy and hindered its growth as much as possible, cannot be neglected (that is why in the letters of endowment of many schools, and perhaps all of them, because of the insistence of jurisprudents, it was stipulated that no subject except Quran, hadith, and jurisprudence was allowed to be taught and, teaching and studying philosophical books were prohibited.What Ruzbahan Khunji has said in this regard is well-known ) Anti-Sufism policy of Shah Abbass resonated this tendency; and it is much likely that Sayed Majid Bahrani and some other muhaddiths, with their literalistic and exoteristic tendencies had been summoned from the islands of Persian Gulf to Shiraz with his consent.

The author of Mustadrak, Nuri writes: And he is the first one who proceeded to promote hadiths in "the fortified city of the science Shiraz". This suggests that, before him there was not a Shii muhaddith in Shiraz.

Therefore in the time of Mulla Sadra there were two opposite tendencies, one of them an ancient and secret tendency seeking for the Oriental wisdom, Mysticism, and Sufism, and the other, which was apparent and prevalent, an anti-philosophical tendency, which emphasized on the external aspects of the verses of the Holy Quran and hadith and was opposed to the hermeneutic commentary (ta'wil) and Batinism.

In the atmosphere in which philosophy and Mulla Sadra's Transcendent Theosophy lived, despite a group who, influenced by the theologians and in particular Ikhbariyyah, refrained from him, there were still many other ones who sought to enjoy his knowledge.

Khan school, which was built in fact for Mulla Sadra and in it, unlike the other schools of the country, philosophy was taught as well, had been built in two floors with 100 cells which in them 100 to 200 students could live. This school with its large endowments attracted the students from everywhere.

In addition in that province there were other great schools as well; as the French tourist Chardin said these schools were counted to 12, therefore in the center of Shiraz-also called the city of science many students lived and overy master has his own disciples.

Sadra's class, which is placed in the vestibule of the building, is not a wide place to contain many students, it is as large as today classes. Perhaps due to this reason Mulla Sadra did not undertake to teach the general courses of the school. He preferred to teach his own Transcendent Theosophy to the highly qualified and trained students. In the modern language he taught only advanced and professional courses and not the ordinary books of philosophy; and if we accept that Mulla Sadra, as we have already said, taught hadith and commentary as well, it should be accepted that these courses were among the general courses and not exclusively for the eminent students.

 

Religion and Philosophy

S.M.Hakkak

In order to explain the relation between religion and philosophy, the author has discussed the most important issues, common in these two (e.g. "God", "soul", "determinism and will"), as well as the method, accepted in philosophy. Citing the (Quranic) verses and Hadiths and providing examples for philosophical issues and proofs in the religious texts, he has gone to prove the validity of philosophical thought from the point of view of Islam.

While emphasizing on the fact that philosophy is among the religious teachings, the author believes that philosophical issues, from the lowest level to the highest level are contained in religious texts; and we should accept the invitation of the Holy Quran to intellection as much as our capacities allow.

 

Causaltty According To Ghazali

dr.A.Khadimi

Having described Ghazali's doctrine of the "denial of the causal necessity", the author believe, that, instead of the causal necessity, Ghazali has discussd "interdependence between the cause and effect" in some places, and "association of the cause and effect" in other places. While insisting on Ghazali's belief in the world of existence's being organized, the author stipulates that according to Ghazali the causal necessity has nothing to do with the world's being organized.

 

The Existential Explication Of Time In Mulla Sadra's Philosophical System

Dr.Reza Akbarian    

Translated by Dr.Salami

In his philosophical system based on the reality of being Mulla Sadra gives a definition of time, which is related to wujud and that which cannot be conceived. Among the Muslim philosophers, the relation and transition of Aristotelian concept of time should be sought in Avicenna's philosophy. Like Aristotle, Avicenna asserts that time is the measure of motion and he expounds this concept as a natural concept in the physics. Mulla Sadra's concept of time is fundamentally different form that of Avicenna. Time, Avicenna belives, is an essential concept, which finds a place in Aristotelian categories. In many of his words, Mulla Sadra gives the same explanation.

However, he gives a new theory, which solves the problem of time and the trans -substantial motion alter facing vague points in the explanation of time.

Mulla Sadra does not put aside Aristotelian concept of natural time nor does he believe it is original. He believes that natural time is a sub-division of the existential time and expounds it as a metaphysical issue in his ontology. Mulla Sadra's thought concerning wujud culminates in the theory which as an innovative one has been explained in his philosophy for the first time. This theory is the concept of the essentially time - bound fluid wujud. In this theory, time is not an object for physical objects but an existential attribute for them. This attribute springs from their manner of "being" and relates to their entity.

On the same basis, time, Mulla Sadra claims, is the truth of the fluid wujud and the time - boundness of physical objects serves as the extension of their existence. His words concerning the four dimensions of physical objects have total certitude. This consideration concerning the ontology of time leads us to the notion that time in its unified identity is a unique dignity of the dignities of primal causes and a weak stage of the inferior stages. Of course, he asserts that the stages of the reality of wujud are like the reality of wujud. Such a conceptualization of time may be found neither in Greek philosophy nor in Aristotelian philosophical system. To accept such a statement, Mulla Sadra is led to trans - substantial motion and offers it as a new fundamental for his philosophical system.

The most important point that assists Mulla Sadra in explicating the issue of time is that the analogical gradations (tashkik) of the Reality of wujud are but the manners and manifestations of the reality of wujud and that all the universe from the sublime to the physical objects is one and the same. He affirms that the existants exist through their illuminationist relation with the physical objects. And they should not be imagined as separate beings, which are related to their source. According to this idea, the wujud is the time of manifestation. One cannot consider any distinction between it as a stage of the stages of wujud and the variable being. In this world view, the superior degree, the principle of inferior degree and the inferior degree are nothing but the continual manifestation of the superior degree.

According to this viewpoint, there is a continual motion for whole universe and this motion is just like its identity. In fact, the whole universe is a mover with a single movement and each part of accident is part of this single movement gaining a new identity. The sign for this eternal movement is time, which is eternally moving, and implies that there is a trans - substantial motion in the world.

Thus, the exact meaning of trans - substantial motion is that all particles are in a constant state of destruction and not only all states of objects but their entire entity as well. In this regard, Mulla sadra uses the term the renovation of entity. The universe is a series of renovated entity, an entity that is constantly renovation of objects. As a result, he accepts the notion that the will of God is in the work of creation.

Mulla sadra generalizes this statement to man's soul as well. In his eyes, the truth of man's soul is the reality of a gradual and fluid wujud originated from the first stages and leading to the Divine reality. That man's soul is a temporal being, and that time has a dimension of being and not a gradual attribute, is a sublime understanding for Mulla Sadra. This sounds like what Heidegger says. In his Magnus Opus "Being and Time", Heidegger states that man's soul is bound to time and offers a similar picture to what Mulla Sadra gives of trans - substantial motion though there are fundamental differences between the two philosophical systems.

 

The Simplest Reality... in Mulla Sadra's Theology and Leibniz Monadology

M.Sani,i Darrah Bidi

Pointing to the origination of the concept of "simplicity", conveying concepts such as "infinity" and "universality" in Islamic philosophy as well as Western philosophy in the 17 . Century (A.D), the author goes to elucidate the similarity between the meanings of "the simple existence", "the absolute existence" and "infinite existence" in the doctrines of Mulla Sadra, Spinoza, and Leibniz. He believes that from the rule of "the simplest reality..." of Mulla Sadra to the Spinoza's absolute existence, which are incorporated in Leibniz's philosophy, the same intellectual movement can be seen! While describing the doctrines of these philosophers on the rule of "the simplest reality..." he mentions the monad (or the real simple)'s "singularity in kind" and "plurality in reference" in Leibniz's doctrine and then adds: this discrepancy between the doctrines of Mulla Sadra and Leibniz on "pure simple" or as Leibniz puts it "existence", that according to him has no impossible predicates and attributes, has paved the way for plurals in Leibniz's philosophy, leading finally to what Mulla Sadra calls" primacy of quiddity".

 

God according to Sadra and Thillich

Dr A.Turani

To indicate the opinions of these two philosophers on the demonstration of the necessity andpossibility , the author has studied the issue of the possibility of cognition from Sadr-al-Mutaallihins point of view, and comparing it with that of Paul Thillich, notes what they have in common and their distinctions.

mphasizing on the importance of the rational demonstrations and intuitions in Sadrean school, which are not inconsistent in this school, the author provides an account of Thillich's point of view with a critical approach. According to this point of view this demonstration, like the other philosophical demonstrations, confirms only that there is a question about God whose answer is God who appears in man's conscience through observing the world. Surprisingly enough , according to Thillich, proving God through the demonstration of necessity and possibility is same as denying Him.

 

Substantial Movment and Time

Bijan Karimi

Alluding to incompatiblity between the time symmetry , covered in physics , and reality , the author considers understanding the hature of time as depending to abandon the general frame - work provided by physics in Western philosophy format . After a brief account of Sadreaan view on substantial movment , he brings the time , derived of substantial movement , into focus ; and , emphasizing on the time's fundamendality, combines it with scientific language, and explains that deriving the time from sabstantial movment is not only compatible with physics notions , but also , it is a suitable way for accounting them.

In final section , the author shows that the use of substantial "reference frame" does not oppose to the results of special Relativity theory . On the contrary , the use of this point of view make us able to find a basis and meaning for mysterious pre - assumptions of Relativity theory (e.g. absoluteness of the light speed.)

Moreover , he shows that this "neforence" is suitably applicable to electrodynamics , too ; and will eliminate some confusions in this field , easily . Particular^ , he provides an answer , free of contradictions , for the question about magnetic monopoles , which , in turn ,will pave a new way for recognizing the nature . This can be known as an introduction to modern interpretation of the light .