Necessity of Social Life and Man’s Need to Religion in Mullā Ṣadrā and Ibn Miskawayh

The present paper investigates the necessity of the development of social life in the view of Mullā Ṣadrā and Ibn Miskawayh in the domain of religion’s response to human needs following a comparative approach. Mullā Ṣadrā believes that the necessity of fulfilling human needs warrants the existence of law and Shar‘ as well as an individual as a prophet. Following a philosophical approach, he explains that the concept of human species is realized in their “collective identity” outside their mind and in their social schematism. Ibn Miskawayh’s standpoint, which is worth more deliberation and is perhaps unique, indicates that man’s main need for collective life is due to the necessity of responding to their intrinsic need for mutual “love and affection”, while he refers to satisfying material needs at a later level. In his view, love provides the basis for life and formation of human collective society. Mullā Ṣadrā’s view enjoys a rational and philosophical essence, whereas Ibn Miskawayh’s explanation is merely based on the presence of love and affection among human beings. However, both thinkers acknowledge that the revealed religious theorems can respond to all human worldly and other-worldly needs. Nevertheless, none of them directly and clearly emphasizes the necessity of the purification of the soul for the prophet and the divine perfect Man.