فصلنامه حکمت اسلامی
پیاپی 31 (زمستان 1400)

It can be inferred from some of Mulla Sadra’s phrases that mental existence is the very conceivable form created by the mind, as he argued. In some of his other phrases, however, Mulla Sadra holds that mental existence belongs to a stage of the hierarchy of being of things. Nonetheless, there are other phrases narrated from him suggesting that mental existence is both the conceivable form created by the mind and of a stage of the hierarchy of being.A precise examination of the issue yields the upshot that it cannot be both because they are inconsistent.Apart from Mulla Sadra’s phrases, there are four possible views about the arguments for mental existence studied here separately. The middle term of some of those arguments are no more recognized than the desired claim and thus they fail, unless somebody claims that those arguments are in the position to prove a dichotomy between the mind and outside or to refute the theory of “relation” (izafah). Some of those arguments stand on invalid presuppositions, too.

This essay aims to explain the course of rational development of the Shiite theologians adopting library reference method and critical study of the data. Not only, the author has venerated the academic position and genius of Sheikh Mofid as a pioneer in his method of reconciliation between the faith and reason in theology and the rationalization of matters of faith, but also respected his particular introduction of Shiism as a coherent and independent school of thought separate from other schools. The author has studied his theological principles about the created world considering his idea that the world is material incorrect. He has shed light on the consequences of Mofid’s theory particularly his reliance on the mere rational arguments in order to interpret the apparent meaning of the Qur’an and traditions and also his acceptance of doctrines irreconcilable with his own principles. Thus, the author has gone to challenge Mofid’s arguments for cases such as the corporeality of man’s spirit, the negation of the world of pre-existence “Dharr”, the negation of spiritual blessings of heaven and the metaphorical interpretation of some verses and traditions. Some critical articles have been written on the theologian’s materialistic approach; however, Sheikh Mofid’s opinions have not been inferred from his books and answered one by one and separately, yet. Some suggested answers are new of their kind.

This article provides an overview of the theory of dreams and evaluates it from the perspective of Islamic political philosophy and compares it with the perspective of Islamic political philosophy. The article claims that the theory of dreams is outside the tradition of Islamic political philosophy. The theory of dreams seeks to provide an analysis of the subject of revelation; It solves the problem of the rules of the Qur'an, which it sees as conflicting with the new world, but it cannot provide an analysis of how the rules and logic of legislation in Islam. As a result, it is incapable of solving the problem that has arisen in response to it. The method of this article is analytical and comparative and compares the theory of dreams with the tradition of Islamic political philosophy. The results of the article are: First, the theory of dreams is outside the tradition of Islamic political philosophy; Second, this theory has not succeeded in achieving its goal; Thirdly, on the other hand, Islamic political philosophy has dealt with the subject of revelation and has provided a more acceptable analysis than the subject of revelation. Socio-political helps.

This research is based on two presuppositions: first is that disciplines of knowledge -including humanities- are organized and systematic and second is that we ought to seek for the impact of religion on science in the philosophy of science. Having adopted a descriptive-analytic method, this essay goes to study the relation between science and religion in the light of Allamah Misbah’s view and through a process-centered approach. The scheme of knowledge and its main constituents as a passive element stands on one side, and Allamah Misbah’s theological principles concerning the scope and aims of religion as an active element in man’s life stand on another. The study of the two sides leads to the conclusion that the subject matter of humanities -due to their close ties with the aims of religion and in the light of cognitive value of narrated propositions of religion- is to be revised. Any change in the subject-matter entails a modification in the structure of issues and propositions of humanities. The tie between subjectology and methodology and the perplexity of the subject-matter of humanities gave rise to the need of the scheme of humanities for revealed traditions along with none-revealed resources and their influence on it. Moreover, viewing the impact of religion on the goals of knowledge, normative propositions as a part of humanities come under influence, too.

This question has always been drawing the attention of philosophers to study what factor is responsible to make the body from elements giving it specific function. Not only in the ancient physics but also in modern science, this question has been of particular importance. Modern biology introduces the primary stem cells as the origins of tissues with sheer competence to create different organs. Nonetheless, the answer to the above old question is not to be found in science only, because due to the limits of science, there are many unknown issues as to how one cell might be transformed into different organs with different functions. Those unknown issues made most theologians and illuminist philosophers consider some immaterial substance responsible for making such organs. In contrast, the peripatetic philosophers hold the form-giving faculty of the spirit in the embryo (nature) responsible to do so. Unanswered questions and ambiguities in the peripatetic theory made Fakhr al-Din al-Razi come up with the theory that the process of making different organs is under the influence of the  soul of the mother. His theory cleared up some of those problems, it failed to answer all of them, though. By the advent of transcendent theosophy and trans-substantial motion, a new hope reconcilable with modern science sprang to solve those questions.

Darwin’s theory of the evolution of species is one of the significant ones in the explanation of man’s creation. It has always been under discussion and controversy by the thinkers in different fields. The influence of that theory in religion and religious beliefs is undeniable. It has gone far enough to justify atheism challenging religious beliefs. From among the intellectuals who tried to challenge religious doctrines as per the theory and its claims is Yuval Noah Harari. In his acceptance of the evolution theory, Harari mentions three consequences incompatible with the ongoing attitude about God, man and religious beliefs:That common ancestry between man and animal is a cause to disobey the commands of Lord Almighty;Lack of reasonable justification and explanation for the existence of spirit;Denial of free will and free outcomes.In their research through a comparative-analytic method, the authors aim to examine the consequences of the theory and Harari’s claims in the above three areas. Moreover,  he wants to demonstrate defects in Harari’s words?.

When referring to some verses of the Qur’an such as Zumar 68, we come across the term sa’eqa “swoon”, after the trumpet is blown; it encompasses all what there is. According to sound traditions such as that narrated from Imam Sajjad (PBUH), sa’eqa means death and it encompasses all beings corporeal and incorporeal such as angels.In his research through a traditional and rational method and adopting a philosophical and theological approach, the author tries to critically analyze how death might happen to incorporeal beings. Taken for granted that death is identical with sleep as per religious doctrines analyzing the characteristics of sleep, the author goes to explain how incorporeal beings die according to the principles of transcendent theosophy. The conclusion drawn is that the imaginal (methali) beings die when their ontic and cognitive ties are disconnected from their imaginal bodies which promotes them to a higher stage of existence. Death for the incorporeal beings means the termination of their self-awareness which as per religious doctrines is rephrased as cutting one-self from everything but God and in mysticism is termed as annihilation.

Some cataloguers have recorded an Arabic manuscript on bada’ ascribed to Mulla Sadra. There are only three copies of this treatise kept in libraries in Iran. Their reliable major evidence come from a context of one of those three. This article goes to study the ascription and thus the evidence from both the text and context show that the ascription is not acceptable. As per the oldest date of the extant copy of the treatise (1261 Islamic L. C.) transcribed from the original one, one can infer that the author should have lived before that time. Nonetheless, the author has not mentioned the name of the most celebrated scholar Allamah Majlesi or his works (such as Bihar-u al-Anwar or Mir’at-u al-‘Uqul); this might suggest the idea that the treatise had been authored before Majlesi’s works. There is another justification, however, that the treatise was intended to be in brief and the author’s approach was merely mystical and philosophical; that is why he merely mentioned the names of Mirdamad and Mulla Sadra. The article has provided for the corrected text, too.