Ibn Arabi and Molla Sadra; On Knowledge and its Role in Human Perfection

Knowledge (perfect and absolute knowledge)، according to Ibn Arabi and Mulla Sadra، in term of its obvious concept and its hidden existence or truth is an existential truth. There is nothing as obvious as the concept of knowledge through which the knowledge itself can be explained. But، on the other hand، the truth of knowledge، like the truth of existence، is absolutely hidden. The reality of knowledge، based on the pantheism، is the «hierophany». In fact، knowledge، as characteristic of God is the same as his nature or essence and since his existence is the one and only and does not have any partner، knowledge is one as well and will not have any denotation but the existence of God (hierophany). The ‘extinction of the self in God’ (Fanna Fi''llah) and the can be known as another interpretation of real knowledge. Because of the fact that the human perfection is nothing but his knowledge of himself، and this، in itself، happens when one could be the perfect illustration of hierophany. In fact، the realization of the ‘eternal life in union with God’ (Baqa Bi’llah) involved in the ‘extinction of the self in God’ (Fanna Fi''llah)، and in case that it happens the real knowledge and the ultimate perfection will be equal، the different concepts in a union reality. Therefore، Ibn Arabi''s goal of the Spiritual Journey and the purpose of Mulla Sadra from the Intellectual Journey is the realization of the real knowledge، or as Ibn Arabi says; it is the “realization of pantheism”.