The Effects of Philosophical Principles on Mulla Sadra's Interpretation
A study of the existing interpretations of the Holy Qur'an indicates the fact that the interpreters have not followed a single method in interpreting this holy Book. Rather, each has viewed it from a specific angle, and each has adopted a particular method and approach in accomplishing his task. Of course, a host of factors underlies the development of this variety in interpretive methods.
One of the schools of interpretation is the philosophical interpretive school the major purpose of which is to remove the fallacy of the incompatibility between religion and philosophy. This is because its advocates intend to neutralize the intense propaganda which is made in the name of religion against philosophy and philosophers.
One of the great figures who was the best in the field of interpretation and hadith in his own time was the theologian-philosopher, Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim Sadr al-Din Shirazi (1050 AH), known as Mulla Sadra or Sadr al-Muta'allihin.
According to Seyyed Jalal al-Din Ashtiyani, "His Interpretation consists of the most supreme discussions concerning the source and resurrection and some solutions to the problems of theological teachings and philosophical sciences. Considering its inclusion of the ideas and theories of theologians and the people of monotheism, this work is unique in its own category."
Clearly, Mulla Sadra has followed certain principles in writing his interpretation of the Qur'an which make it distinct from all other interpretations. As long as we do not learn about these principles, we will not be able to perceive their importance.
One of the works that has attempted to accomplish this task is The Effects of Philosophical Principles on Mulla Sadra's Interpretation. Since he is the founder of the distinguished philosophical school of the Transcendent Philosophy, Mulla Sadra has certainly resorted to this school in the interpretation of the verses of the Qur'an. In fact, this is the point that this book aims to clarify and explain.
This book consists of an Introduction and two parts. In the Introduction, the writer deals with the place of the science of interpretation among Muslims and casts a glance at other schools of interpretation. In this part, he also refers to hermeneutics as the common point among all schools of interpretation and reviews the most important issues in the Transcendent Philosophy and Mulla Sadra's innovations.
The first part of the book is on theology in its general sense in Mulla Sadra's Interpretation. It consists of five chapters, as follows:
1. General Principles of Existence and Non-Existence
2. Content of Propositions (Necessity, Possibility, Negation)
3. The Intellect, the Intelligent, the Intelligible
4. Cause and Effect
5. Potency and Act
The second part of the book is on theology in its particular sense in Mulla Sadra's Interpretation and consists of nine chapters as follows:
1. Argument of the Righteous
2. The Truth in its Simplicity Contains all Things
3. God's Knowledge of His Essence
4. God's Knowledge of Other Than Himself and Quiddities
5. God's Knowledge of Objects is the Same as their Objective Existence
6. God's Acts are Realized through His Knowledge of Causes and Effects
7. Createdness of the World
8. Denying an Image to God and Demonstrating Images for Him
9. Good and Bad
This book has been written by Mohammed Taqi Karamati in 172 pages and published by the Publication Center of the Sadra Islamic Philosophy Institute.