نشریه حکمت صدرایی
سال چهارم شماره 1 (پیاپی 7، پاییز و زمستان 1394)

In transcendent theosophy, the science of knowledge of prophet of Islam (PBUH) is different from other schools. Although Mulla Sadra, just like the other thinkers, considers the prophet of Islam like an ordinary human being, but on the base of substantial motion theory, suggests that he has a unique status. Therefore, the main question of this paper is: how we can explain differences and similarities of the prophet of Islam with other human beings from epistemological and ontological point of view? Using his philosophical principles such as the Originality of existence, graduation of the existence, substantial motion and union of knower and Knowledge, Mulla Sadra proves that from ontological perspective, the prophet of Islam is the initial creation in the curve of descent and also all the degrees of existence leads to him in the curve of ascent. Although in the primary determinations, he has the same human nature as other human beings, he traverses the degrees of perfection by knowledge and practice, so that by ascending to each level, that level becomes a part of his essence and eventually he reaches perfection in all triple degrees of reason, soul and sense; and becomes the centralization of intellectual, spiritual and Sensory lights. In the secondary personal qualities, he is completely different comparing to other human beings. Of course, this difference is so deep as if the similarity between the existence of an ordinary human being and a perfect human being, whose best example is the prophet of Islam (PBUH), is just share literal.

The purpose of this essay is studying of time’s nature in Mulla Sadra’s perspective and current relativistic theories, including special and general relativity, and proceeding similarities and differences between them. From ontological point of view, the problem of time has been a controversial problem between philosophers and theologians. Some of them consider the time as an illusionary concept and the others as a real existence; and therefore, this later group attribute some properties to the nature of time according to their own viewpoints. In parallel to pure philosophical viewpoints, a similar philosophical interpretation for time that was introduced by physical theories, especially relativistic physics, has been expressed. This essay with an analytical approach tries to be a bridge between pure philosophical viewpoints and philosophical interpretations of physical theories and illustrate the similarities and differences between them. Through considering a same concept for length and dimension, both approaches instead to introducing an independent and absolute concept of space and time, introduced a unit structure which has in itself both space and time. But Mulla Sadra' s view about the nature of time, has differences with what the philosophical interpretation of relativistic theories offers.

Epistemologists define knowledge as "justified true belief”. In the history of philosophy, concerning the measure of truth and justification, as the basic elements of the theory of knowledge, there were several theories. This is true concerning Sadraian and Suhrawardian schools. Although both schools take foundationalism about justification and correspondence concerning truth, but there are important differences between them. Sadraians distinguish between right and true on the base of the relation between proposition and the fact, and its priority and posterity. But the Suhrawardians don’t take this difference serious. Also, Suhrawardians consider correspondence merely conformity with the external world, while for Sadraians, correspondence consists in conformity with both internal and external world. On the other hand, these two schools have similarities, such as for both of them illumination and intuition are evident and fundamental knowledge, which can serve as the basis of human knowledge. Thus, they introduce a new version of foundationalism.

Allameh Tabatabai’s constructional perception theory, as one of his outstanding thoughts, has often considered as an epistemological theory, so that it is merely studied and applied in this viewpoint. But comprehensive look at the Tabatabai’s literature, in order to find different usages of this theory, shows that it has bold ontological aspect in Tabatabai’s thought. In this viewpoint, the world, as the material realm of reality, has a virtual construction of reality, so that it is between two real worlds: the prior and posterior esoteric actual worlds. Just as the relationship between the material world and the two other prior and posterior real worlds is exoteric/ esoteric relation, the relationship between the constructional realities and actual realities is exoteric/ esoteric one. Tabatabai believes that human confining to imaginary concepts of material life is as same as falling in constructional realm and neglecting of their esoteric truth.

According to the opinion of the Muslim theosophers, world is founded upon a logical and intelligible system, and from a metaphysical point of view, it encompasses hierarchical degrees or worlds. These worlds are positioned in vertical - metaphysical relation. In other words, they are interconnected in a longitudinal order on the base of causality relation. Nevertheless, illuminating this relation between the first cause and the first effect, one encounter with philosophical – theological doubt, that is, the necessity of joining the effect to the cause necessitates the coexistence of the world with its origin. Nevertheless, the necessity of differentiation and priority of the transcendental Being to the contingent beings requires the world of contingent beings have belated and objective separation from the Transcendental Necessary Being. In order to solve this problem, according to his philosophical system, Mir Damad has suggested the idea of createdness at the level of perpetual duration. Mir Damad’s amazing thought in foundation of this theory by taking benefit from the contrast between the terms of perpetual duration (Dahr) and eternity versus time and temporal beings is praise worthy. However, from Sadraian philosopher's point of view, the paths he has followed to prove and confirm his own theory could be still subject to controversy.

The comparative study of the characteristics of Maslow's self-actualized human beings with that of human in Transcendental Philosophy shows that there are commonalities between them that imply the similarity of Maslow and Mulla Sadra’s viewpoints. These similar views can be classified in terms of needs, belief in intuition, the viewpoint, life meaningfulness, indifference to the sector or class, belief in the true self, change in the criterion of pleasure, and attention to potential talents. In spite of the commonalities, some differences were found between them. Among the differences, reference can be made to their methods, Mulla Sadra holistic view and Maselow’s atomistic view, Mulla Sadra’s special attention to the superior world and the distance between the human’s ideal self and the self-actualized human, which is rooted in psychological view of Maslow and Mulls Sadra’s transcendental pantheistic philosophy.

Islamic scholars, including authorities, theologians, philosophers and mystics, pay attention to the Quran and attempt to interpret it based on their knowledge and expertise and to produce many exegetical works. This difference stems from their different definitions and criteria of correct and standard interpretation. As the founder of the philosophical school of Transcendental Wisdom, Mulla Sadra interprets Quran in the base of the Peripatetic and illumination schools. This article indicates correct interpretation and standard commentator from point of view of Mulla Sadra. According to his Quranology, in the one hand, commentator through rational arguing, and on the other hand, by intuition, connects to God's kingdom and the unseen universe and perceives the meanings of Quranic verses. In his terminology, these are called rational guidance (Hidayah alaqliyya) and illuminative brightness (Lomeye Eshraghiyye). The commentor of Quran by passing from understanding and reasoning and then depending to the talent of opinion and then insisting on that talent, he elevates to supreme talents, which its final degree is sacred talent (Quvveye Qodsiyye). In his view, such as the prophets, commentator too has the ability of gaining sacred talent, provided that he observe the purity of soul, remove veils of soul and transfigure soul with Divine lights. He says that his interpretation is the result of Divine hints to his heart.

Constructional perception theory is one of the innovative ideas of Allame Tabatabai, which is helpful in the contemporary scientific atmosphere, especially in the field of Humanities. This theory has several aspects. Semantics of constructional perception is one of them, which is prior to other aspects and serves as introduction to others. To understand this term, it is necessary to illustrate semantic, linguistic and intentional ambiguities. To resolve lingusitic ambiguities, it is sufficient to survey the status of constructional perception among other perceptions. By this means, we find that constructional perception are not secondary philosophical intelligible. To eliminate semantic ambiguity realizes through definition; and we show that constructional perception consists in referring the definition of something to other thing, or giving some concept to the intention other than its own, in order to construct the results related to its sensitive causes. Constructional perceptions are just from the creative propositions. Our criterion to identify them is that they can be assumed as some kind of creative must. Finally, it will be clear that these perceptions are some kind of the famaliar types, not certainties. In all of these cases, Allameh Tabatabai's opinion is different from many contemporary thinkers.

The death and resurrection are among the fundamental problems of the philosophy of Mullā Sadrā. His view about the death has three important aspects. The first point is that the death is not same as nothing. This attitude is the important opposite view toward the view of material thinkers, who consider death as the end of life and action. Thus, accorrding to them, the life is absurd. In Sadra’s approach, this theory is not a pragmatic answer, but is a factual explanation. Another feature of his theory is that, it presents new possibilities in this life, because considers the end of this life in the life after death. Therefore, unlike the materialist approaches, he never considers this life as end, but regards as a means for suprior end. Also, in Mulla Sadra, death is not the cause of stoping, but serves as a means to development. The development starts from the growth of knowledge to attain the presence of God. These three elements not draw the picture of death as a terrible event, but as containing the meaning and the value of life.

There are several verses in Quran regarding the issue of Permanent residence of people of hell and heaven. According to those verses, some people have permanent residence in the heaven and enjoy its pleasers, while others endure tortures of hell. In this paper, we will concentrate on the meaning of permanent residence in the Hood chapter of Quran, verses 105- 108, and will analyze the range of permanent residence from the viewpoint of Mulla Sadra and Allameh Tabatabai. There are debates and controversies between theologians about the purpose of permanent residence and permanent residence of people of hell and heaven. Mostly, they are regarded same as each other. Thus, it means endless residence of people in heaven and endless residence of people of hell in hell. In this context, the viewpoint of Allameh Tabatabaei and the extent of conformity between him and Molla sadra is of importance, since in some verses, permanent residence of people of hell and heaven are related to the persistence of the earth and the sky. Therefore, firstly, the meaning of earth, sky and their persistence is investigated and afterwards, the issue of permanent residence was scrutinized. We found that some people regard the sky and the earth as material, but Tabatabaei and Molla Sadra consider them as matters of the hereafter. ‌Allameh considers permanent residence as a endless one, but Molla Sadra believes that it is depended to what people believe, and to the quality and quantity of their tortures. According to the verses of Quran, because of divine justice, the permanent residence of people in the hell is limited and, on the other hand, because of divine grace, survival of people in heaven is permanent.