The Theory of Ideas suggested by Plato has had a great impact on different fields of philosophical discussion because it suggests a wider universe including being with a distinctive feature. Shaykh Ishrāq, Shahābuddin Suhrawardi sympathized with this theory. He gives a determining place to “ideas” in his ontological system and tries to establish it through firm arguments. He also makes all his efforts to give this theory a more plausible and more rational structure by explaining the relation of the world of ideas with its superior and inferior worlds. This article is an inquiry into the definition and nature of ideas from the viewpoint of Plato and Shaykh Ishrāq, the latter’s arguments for establishing such a world, and the place of this theory in the ontological system of the two thinkers. The main objective of the author, however, has been to investigate about Suhrawardi’s point of view; therefore, Plato’s theory has been discussed in order to show the commonalities and the differences between the two theories.

Faith and its nature have attracted the attention of scholars in different fields who have expressed views which in some cases seem incompatible. Comparing and contrasting these views and their examination can shed light on the issue of faith. In this article, the nature of faith from the point of view of Ibne Arabi, the father of theoretical Gnosticism, from the Islamic tradition and Kierkegaard from the Christian tradition are compared and contrasted. With respect to faith, the perspectives of ‘faith as confirmation’, ‘faith as act’, and so on are expressed by Islamic scholars and the ‘propositional’ and ‘phenomenological’ perspectives by western scholars. Ibne Arabi with his realistic views considers faith as knowledge and confirmation. For him, true faith is the one which comes before and after intuition. Kierkegaard, having bases in philosophical skepticism and considering the associations of faith as unreal, has an anti-epistemological and voluntary perspective to faith and maintains that volition, taking risks and enduring hardships are elements of faith.

khawajah NaṢir al-Din Tūsī is considered one of the greatest and most influential Muslim scholars of the 7th century ('AH'). Most of his works are about Fakhr a-Din Rāzi's works and views, and are compiled in defense of philosophy providing correct and acceptable theological views. In addition to theology and philosophy, he has written works on mysticism. The problem with studying his works is that he sometimes believes in some principles when discussing theology and gives them up when discussing philosophy. He has also gone beyond the common philosophy by accepting the most fundamental doctrine of Islamic mysticism. Some believe that he, like some other thinkers, had experienced intellectual development and that these different views are due to different periods of his scientific and cognitive activities. The present paper seeks to prove that Khawajah NaṢir had had all these various method of thought simultaneously and had not experienced intellectual development. In fact, three longitudinal levels of his thought are theology, philosophy, and mysticism. By providing some examples, this paper proves that these three levels exist in his works.

People of knowledge use a particular method to interpret the magnificence of revelation, which, in scientific circles, is called with difference names such as mystical interpretation, intuitive interpretation and symbolic interpretation. Mystical or esoteric interpretation, along with exoteric interpretation, is a way to achieve the inner layers of revelation. Among the different theories on the meaning of esoteric interpretation of the Quran, the theories proposed by the people of knowledge are the most similar ones to the words of Holy Prophet's family. Mystical interpretation has different types including longitudinal and horizontal ones, each with different principles and foundations. Infallible Imams indirectly pointed to some of the methods, principles and foundations of esoteric interpretation of the Quran and used them to interpret and expound the inner meanings of Quranic magnificence. However, some researchers, due to their unfamiliarity with the principles and foundations of mystical interpretation, imagine that this type of interpretation contradicts with Infallible Imam's interpretive method and principles. The present paper seeks to eliminate this imagination through reviewing some traditions which deal with esoteric interpretation and comparing the principles and methods of mystical interpretation with infallible Imam's interpretive principles and methods.

The intuitionistic facts of the State of Essence are the modes, dispositions and attributes of that indivisible Essence. Since these facts have not been clearly defined and are not decisive factors of the Essence, they are liable to doom in the Essence. Intuitionistic facts don’t create actual multiplicity in the Essence and are hidden in the mystery of the Essence; that is, they are not visible. These facts are true in terms of the unity of the Essence; that is, the modes represent the unity of the Essence. Ibn-e Arabian gnostics use such words like deprecation, intuitionism, secrecy, undiffrentiation, latency, and potency in order to refer to these facts. They give some explanations about the way of the presence of these facts in the Essence on which they depend on existence, and use some examples to make them clearer. Mystically, these facts should be regarded as having a especial kind of metaphorical or accidental existence.This paper discusses intuitionistic facts with emphasis on the State of Essence. The ideals and essential states of the State of Essence are the most important examples of intuitionistic facts in Mohieddini mysticism. The central point of the discussion, however, has a general character and applies to the other examples of these facts.

Essentialists who maintain the common core for mystical experiences are divided into three main groups: emotionists, advocates of correspondence of sense experience with mystical experience and supporters of unifying finding. The latter is shared by Stace and Forman. The problem of common core of the mystical experiences is the most important issue dealt with by Stace. He observed the common characteristics of mystical experiences throughout the world. Stace’s psychological and phenomenological approach in discussing the issue as well as the nature of mystical experience is regarded as a foundation on which he adopts his epistemic view. Robert Forman is also a philosopher who clearly criticizes the constructionism. To him mystical experiences are not the sort of knowledge with relational nature but of conjunctive nature which is in his terms “identity knowledge” by which any duality between knowing agent and object of knowledge is removed. Forman divides mystical experiences into two types of primary and advanced that are called respectively as pure awareness and mystical dual moments. Although Stace and Forman share views in some respects, they do divide in other respects.

The main features of the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah was the multiplicity of intelligence agencies and supervisory authorities. That was because of his concerns about the incidence of domestic oppositions. One of these agencies was the Imperial Inspection Agency, as an intelligence-security organization, established in the late 1330s due to interior circumstances of the country in the years after the coup of Mordad 28th, 1332 SH. The life of this small organization is divided into two distinct periods; the first was under the supervision of Lieutenant General Yazdan-Panah and the second was under the supervision of Fardoust. Lieutenant General Yazdan-Panah was one of the statesmen of the Pahlavi era, who made a lot of efforts to stabilize and perpetuate the regime. During the five decades of life of this dynasty, he was always responsible for important jobs and positions. The task of the Imperial Inspection Angency, in the first period of its activities, i.e. under the supervision of Yazdan-Panah, was gaining information concerning interior circumstances of the country, dealing with troubles such as administrative corruption and officials’ sabotages, monitoring the activities of other security agencies. This paper, through a historical analysis and based on documentaries and library references, studies performance of the Imperial Inspection Agency (e.g. its proceedings and scope of activity) and its consequences in the first period.

‘Perception’ is among the basic and broad discussions in Islamic philosophy. The “rational intuition” is nothing except a rational and direct philosophical confrontation with the external things and realities. Inside the minute perceptions acquired after the direct rational confrontation, the soul prepares their generalities through a certain process; and in philosophy and the language of philosophy, it mainly speaks with general statements. With an explanation of the rational intuition stated in master Yazdan-Panah’s view, the drawbacks of Allama Tabatabaie’s theory of perception have been resolved, and it will have some functions in the discussion on initiation of philosophy and the philosophical secondary intelligibles as well.