Levels of the Order of Being in the View of Imām Khomeīnī (Based on T‘alīqāt Miṣbāḥ al-Uns)

Miftāḥ al-qayb is the first work which was formally written on theoretical gnosis by Ṣadr al-Dīn Qūnawī. Miṣbāḥ al-uns by Shams al-Dīn Fanārī, which is a detailed commentary on the mentioned book, has also had a significant role in granting a demonstrative nature to gnostic discussions. Some gnostics, such as Imām Khomeīnī, are among the researchers whose glosses have been extremely useful in explaining and clarifying the concepts discussed in Miṣbāḥ al-uns. This study intends to explain the levels of the order of being in the view of Imām Khomeīnī based on his glosses on Miṣbāḥ al-uns. The level of the existence of the Truth in the arc of descent is the same chain of existence in the order of being, which consists of the mentally posited attributes and determinations, i.e. stations of essence, henas (aḥadiyyat), and monas (waḥdāniyyat). In other words, Almighty Truth enjoys certain determinations which are initially manifested at the station of essence, which is nameless and attributeless, and then descends to the level of henas, following which they descend further to the level of monas. The station of monas is a level at which the names and attributes of the Truth are explained in detail. Immutable essences are the forms and manifestations of such names and attributes; in the same vein, external essences or real affairs are the manifestations of immutable essences. This study was carried out to review, analyze, and evaluate Imām Khomeīnī’s views regarding the levels of the order of being.