The Role of the Ontological Properties of Will in Recognizing its Truth from the Perspective of Sadra's Theosophy

Will is one of the most important philosophical and theological concepts for which Islamic thinkers have provided many and sometimes conflicting definitions. In this paper, we show that Mulla Sadra, with regard to the foundations of the transcendent theosophy, and his special interpretation of the truth of will, puts forward three ontological features for this truth. On the basis of these characteristics, he criticizes the rival interpretations and reveals the mystery of misunderstandings in the recognition of the truth of the will. These attributes are: the existential blending of will with other states of the soul; the existentiality of the will and its being unmixed with quiddity; the polarization of the truth of will. All these qualities are effective in explaining the truth of will, and other thinkers’ neglect of them has led them to epistemic deviation. Also, two recent factors play an important role in shaping Sadra's vision of explaining the truth of will, a view that regards the truth of will as a kind of love and cheerfulness.