Mediums of [Divine] Grace in Sadrā i Philosophy

One of the Islamic theological doctrines is related to the mediums of [divine] grace mentioned in the Quran and traditions – mediums such as the Pen, the Heaven, the Throne, the Preserved Tablet, the Tablet of Effacement and Affirmation, and the Angels. Cosmological explanation of these facts and specifying their status in the system of creation are among important discussions in Islamic theology. Mullā Sadrā (or Sadr al-Muta’allihīn) who attempts to present philosophical explanations for religious doctrines has sought to explain – based on his own philosophical system – the mode of existence of those mediums and their role in transferring divine grace. The present study seeks to investigate his explanation of those mediums and their status in existence to present a correct picture of them, while stating their mode of existence and the existential features of each. Mullā Sadrā refers to the levels of divine knowledge and regards those realities as various levels of divine knowledge, belonging to the realm of intellects or spirits, based on their existential order.