Politics and Ruler’s in Suhrawardī’s Political System

Conduct is a keyword in Suhrawardī’s political system. In his view, conduct or wayfaring begins with self-knowledge at the individual level and moves them ahead to the social and political level and, finally, to ruling over a society. Suhrawardī’s intended ruler is a philosopher who, through self-knowledge, steps into higher worlds, including the world of Ideas, which is the first world higher than the world of bodies in Suhrawardī’s philosophy. Through wayfaring in this world, the philosopher turns into an intermediary between the world of human beings and the world of God and angels. Through self-knowledge, wayfaring in the world of Ideas, and obedience to God, the philosopher further reaches the level of the spiritual leader, Imām, and leadership of the world. By considering the ruler as the spiritual leader or Quṭb and as an individual who is capable of connecting with the world of Ideas and mediating between God and human beings, Suhrawardī investigates politics, governance, ideal governance, and utopia in the light of a new philosophy. His views in practical wisdom and, particularly, politics correspond to his views in theoretical wisdom concerning some principles such as gradation, nobler possibility, wrath and kindness, and gradedness of the world. For Suhrawardī, as the world of Ideas, which among his own innovations, mediates between the world of matter and the world of omnipotent lights, the philosopher-ruler is related to the world of Ideas and mediates between human beings and God and also angels. The ruling of a ruler with the characteristics intended by Suhrawardī is never idealistic, far-fetched, or limited to specific people; rather, it is quite real and possible. Such a ruler pays attention to people’s happiness not only in the material world but in the hereafter.