The Reality of Death, Its Kinds and Ranks Through Allameh Tabatabaii's Viewpoint

The phenomenon of death is a subject which has been investigated in philosophical, theological and mystic perspectives in detail though it has been received thoroughly by experimental sciences. Due to its worthwhile content for inquiries, it possesses an outstanding relation to the stages of rational psychology; the truth and ranks of spirit in philosophy and theosophy. Allameh Mohammad Hussein Tabatabaii, relying upon Quranic verses, the Imam’s sayings and Sadra’s transcendent philosophy, maintains that the spirit originally belongs to the realm of the “Amr”s world and originates in corporeal creation and moves in its substance so gradually that it becomes abstract and leaves the body behind ultimately. Correspondingly when the corporeal substance annihilates, the spirit stands separated and independent from the body. He holds that death is a transition and bridge amid two stages, thus it is not an annihilation and absurdity. With reference to the Quran, he explains two stages of death: the first stage leads man to leave the world; the second one is a death which helps man from isthmus to hereafter. Some philosophers including Allameh believe in 2 kinds of death, that is, natural death and intentional death besides inevitable and destined death.