A Study on Ekhwan ul-Safa's View on the Relation of Reason and Religion and Sajestani's Critical View on It

Ekhwan ul-Safa are known as a group of Muslim scholars. As they say, there may not be found any other way for man to attain everlasting happiness and complete religious knowledge other than acquairing science and philosophy. As they view, religion is formed from two parts of outward and inward; and it has two denotations of symbolic and public and, therefore, to perceive inward and symbolic message of religion, learning philosophy is necessary. Sajestani, however, laying stress upon defects of reasoning and limiting it in attaining happiness and religious knowledge, views philosophy to be learned only in the framework of religion and used to defend religious teachings and to reflect on Divine Power. Views of the two parts have been analyzed comparatively in the paper and it has been made clear that Sajestani`s knowledge of Ekhwan ul-Safa`s view has been little and incorrect. As is shown in the paper, though Ekhwan ul-Safa lay particular stress upon philosophy and reason, they never view reason and philosophy to be more valid than revelation and religion.