فصلنامه قبسات
پیاپی 36 (تابستان 1384)

The heavenly fitrat is human's eternal substance that works as source of transcendental senses and consciousness. This article aims to raise a case for the authenticity and validity of the supreme innate nature (fitrat e bareen) in the discovering and understanding religious statements and teachings. It also examines the applicability of fitrat in the evaluation and pathology of religious cognition. The article begins with a definition of fitrat, then, it describes the differences of intellect and fitrat from three approaches: 1.Conceptual approach; 2.Narrative approach;3.Functional approach;The author presents eleven reasons to prove that human beings are equipped with an innate nature. Referring to functions of fitrat he, finally, explains the role of religion in the realm of practical and theoretical wisdoms.

The study about human beings and his explicit and implicit faculties has been a long concern for most scholars. The philosophers and mystics since long time ago and psychologists and anthropologists in the last century have addressed this subject.Prior to them, the abrahamic faiths and even semi-religious movements have attempted to give their own analysis about this mysterious phenomenon of creation and his potentials. Emphasizing on the existence of the faculty of intellect in human being and calling him towards contemplation and rationality most religions, and Islam, in particular have confirmed the existence of a an innate fact called fitrat in every individual. This has posed number questions such as the question of difference fitrat and the realities like self, intellect and heart. Is fitrat, a fact that differs from self, reason, and heart; a fact that some human desires originate from? Or it is a mood and state of each of the aforesaid affairs in which human being is born and grown with.

Fitrat (the innate nature and original constitution of human being) is a subject that has always been and still remains as a concern for heavenly religions, scholars and knowledge seekers.Many scholars from theologians to anthropologists have devoted their dear time and life to explore this precious commodity and discover the pearl of love covered in shell of fitrat.From one perspective the subject of fitrat should be categorized as a philosophical debate because it is relevant to all major three subjects of study of philosophy (God, the universe and human beings). From the other perspective fitrat and love falls in theosophical debates. Because the theosophical debates deal with tawhid (the oneness and unity of God) or mowahhid (monotheist or the one who believes in one God), both being amongst the basic concerns of theosophists.From a third perspective it is relevant to physiologic and the related fields as well as with to subjects like epistemology, theology, anthropology, education and etc. Furthermore, religious resources and teachings have also placed high emphasis on fitrat. As a result every scholar has interpreted the related verses and traditions from his own perspective. In the meantime, the epigrams of great theosophists enjoy a unique place in mystic circles. Two prominent figures of these theosophists are Mohammad Ali Shahabadi and his competent successor Ayatollah Imam Khomeini who added valuable epigrams to using the treasury of previous theosophist's legacy.

A basic debate in religious studies is how and why religions and the myth physical beliefs, particularly human belief in god has taken shape. Is sharaia and religion consistent and coordinated with the creation or they are opposite phenomena. This essay aims to show that religious views and tendencies rile on the nature of man's creation. It’s the voice of fitrat that invites man to be faithful and incline to his (mabda) origin and (maad) the eternal place of return and adopt a proper code of conduct.The author explains why some turn a blind eye to the their inherent nature and deviate from fitrat. He concludes by briefly spelling out the role of prophets and religious leaders in directing and promoting fitrat in human kind.

This article aims to present an explanation of the innate theology and prove the existence of this reality by answering the reservations raised against it. Beginning by a lexical and a terminological definition of fitrat the author states that religious researchers have addressed fitrat from three perspectives: fitrat and human nature, fitrat and religion, fitrat and theology. In this article six following viewpoints on innate theology are discussed: 1. platonic meaning of fitrat 2. fitrat as human talent 3.logical approach, 4.Conceptual knowlege 5.the intuitive knowledge of prior worlds,6.immediate knowledge. Assessing these viewpoints the author maintains that some of them may be reconcilable. He then, presents five cases for proving the innate theology and tries to report and review the critique's viewpoints.

Islam has presented a comprehensive definition and recognition of human being encompassing all aspects of his existence. It considers fitrat as the disfiguring feature of human being from animals is as well as a guiding light in all domains of human wills, tendencies and activities. Without taking fitrat into account, most of Islamic teachings will remain ignored or ununderstood. Therefore, many Islamic scholars consider it as the source for understanding all Islamic teachings. However, they acknowledge that although there is a vast literature on fitrat but few people address it deeply. For instance we may come across some people talking of Fitrat but at the same time we see that they adopt theories being in sharp contrast to this principle.A key point that the holy Quran and Shiite innocent imams have place emphasis upon is the innate nature of human kind as well as innateness of religion. Fitrat is the main endowment and provision that God has bestowed upon human beings. All human beings enjoy this blessing of God and therefore they are advised to preserve and use it in a right manner. Explaining the nature and dimensions of fitrat this article attempts to assess it from a Quranic perspective focusing the Quran's 30th verse, Chapter 30 (surat ul room).

Fitrat means a state in which human beings come into being. Its used for those features that are laid in the initial substances of creation of human beings. These are inborn features that accompany man as he comes into the world.According to traditions man possesses certain innate ideological, practical and moral features. Some of these innate potentials are knowledge that is shaped in the worlds prior to this world. Some others are substantial tendencies of human beings. However, in some other traditions, fitrat is used as the essential characteristic of Islam as a religion.

The present essay attempts to recall and reintroduce the human self and the monotheistic perception of Human beings’ innate nature (fitrat). According to this perception man human must reconsider his self to recognize reality and the oneness of himself with his existential reality. The essay also refers to the first intuition which is will lead to the second intuition in light of faith and righteous action. The interpretation of ideal world with the world of fitrat is assessed in light of ten interpretive theories. The essay consists of three parts addressing the interaction and the interconnection of the ideal world with the world of fitrat and examining the functions and applications of the principle of fitrat in scientific and practical areas from a Quranic perspective.

The confirmation and rejection of innateness theory is a key element in both rationalism and empiricism doctrines. Nonetheless, on the one hand we witness that this theory has been a source of deep controversy amongst its proponents and the opponents but so far few arguments are made in opposition or in support of this theory by the opponents and proponents.As far the importance of this theory is concerned we can refer to the relation of this theory with the different cognitive areas including ontology (platonic ideals, the existence of soul prior to the existence of body, essentialism); epistemology (rationalism, the means of knowledge, trichotomic definition of knowledge etc); ethics and the rational goodness and badness of actions; linguistics; biology; psychology and the teachings of religions.Nowadays, linguistics is finding its way in the philosophical debates, mainly because of Noam Chomsky’s contributions who has presented several evidences and cases in support of the innateness of language.