The Meaning and the Way of Reaching Felicity and Wretchedness of the Two Worlds from the Viewpoint of Sheikh Al-Ishragh and Avicenna

Felicity and wretchedness as progress and decline are among the issues which are discussed by thinkers in different periods of history and even by ordinary people. Eternal life after death has caused man do his best to provide himself with the necessities of happiness in this world and especially the world after death and to avoid wretchedness. Using text analysis and description and library method, the present research seeks to analyze the theological viewpoints of two theologians, Sheikh al-Ishragh and Avicenna, regarding the meaning and ways of reaching felicity and wretchedness in this world and the Hereafter. Suhrawardi considers performing or abandoning divine orders or prohibitions as the way of reaching felicity or wretchedness in the world after death and regards the followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as felicitous ones; however, Avicenna considers felicity as preferring spiritual felicity over material felicity and that depends on providing the needs of the people in the society, and regards wretched people as those who have recognized the right but deny it most of the times.