Islamic Theology and Religious Studies
Year:2017 | Volume:13 | Issue:48 |Papers Count:10

The relation of existential monotheism to existence and multiplicities is regarded as theological and mystical topic little studied in theology. The hypothesis of the paper has been explained and proved by relying on reasonings of Divine Essence (pure existence, essence of simplicity, absoluteness, analyzing efficient cause) and of universe (caused and dependent existence of universe and multiplicities). Again, the topic has been studied with regard to Quranic verses and traditions with various explanations including God`s omnipresence, His accompaniment and nearness to existence, His state of being the First and the Last, the Outward and Inward and Light) and, in this way, the theory of universality of existential monotheism to the whole of existence and ojective multiplicities has been explained; such an explanation leads to unity of existence and negate God`s existence as distinct from that of contingents.

Imami scholars have viewed purity as a necessary quality for prophets and Imams. Yet they have not consider the what of purity to be the same. Needless to say, the position and approach taken in the field may be useful for studying purity and solving the problems on the way. In the paper, it has been intended to compare some Muslim scholars`view with Allamah Tabatabaie`s on thee what and nature of the pure`s purity. Allamah has known purity as a product of intellect power and a sort of knowledge bestowed upon the pure by God. Such an ability causes the pure to keep himself from sin.

During recent centuries, some have compiled scientific commentaries of the holey Quran to show an agreement between Islam and science. They sought to study religious beliefs in scientific and reasonable approaches. Commentators of Almonar have divided extraordinaries into two types: true and untrue, and viewed the former to be miracle. As is viewed by them, miracles are God`s direct actions and prophets have no part in them. Agreeing with causation in the world of creation, the commentators have divided miracles into two types of natural miracles and semi acquired creative miracles. They have taken different approaches in describing the essence of miracles and verses dealing with them. On Moses` miracles, they rely on formal meaning of the verses and rejected Jesus` miracles. Almonar commentators have explained punishments, extraordinary births and death`s becoming alive on the basis of science and doubted in their being extraordinary.

One problem on human expectation of religion in our country may be regarded as darkness in exact place of disputation and lack of working methods. As way of meeting a problem is more important than its solution, the paper, criticizing two common solutions in the field, one religious and the other non religious, tries and give a third one. This solution is based on dividing human expectations into two: one called primary and the other secondary. The solution is viewed as a key for solving some problems in the field. Finally, two tables of Iranian and non Iranian scholars on the given key have been presented.

Transcendent philosophers, on their principles, view reasonable qualities as necessarily attributed to God. Yet, when speaking of predicate qualities, they have met some difficulties. In the paper, it has been proved that transcendent principle have the same effect in describing all qualities and there may not be found any distinction in the field. Therefore, at any case of reasonable quality, there would be a place for predicate qualities also. As is concluded in the paper, attributing gradation to sensible body and negating their possible particularities like defect, limitations and possibility, we may attribute them with highest purity to God as we do with reasonable qualities. In this way, outward meanings of predicate qualities as well as their gradual state may be regarded in the field.

The paper has intended to explain Sadra`s view on meaningfulness of statements denoting Divine qualities. On this basis, meaningfulness of the statements has been supported and it has been shown that positivist view is self-contradicted and may not be accepted. Then, the way they denote outer world and a being beyond man`s mind, is shown. Again, the most important views in the field of meaningfulness of the statements have been counted and different aspects of Sadra`s view described. Distinguish between two kinds of predication and regarding object`s state of being of no effect in meanings, his view on analogicity of existence has been explained without causing any similarity between God and human being.

Ekhwan ul-Safa are known as a group of Muslim scholars. As they say, there may not be found any other way for man to attain everlasting happiness and complete religious knowledge other than acquairing science and philosophy. As they view, religion is formed from two parts of outward and inward; and it has two denotations of symbolic and public and, therefore, to perceive inward and symbolic message of religion, learning philosophy is necessary. Sajestani, however, laying stress upon defects of reasoning and limiting it in attaining happiness and religious knowledge, views philosophy to be learned only in the framework of religion and used to defend religious teachings and to reflect on Divine Power. Views of the two parts have been analyzed comparatively in the paper and it has been made clear that Sajestani`s knowledge of Ekhwan ul-Safa`s view has been little and incorrect. As is shown in the paper, though Ekhwan ul-Safa lay particular stress upon philosophy and reason, they never view reason and philosophy to be more valid than revelation and religion.

On religious teachings, purgatory is a middle world between earthly world and the resurrection beginning directly after death. Such a world has been regarded to be necessary by religion. Again, in mystical and philosophical texts the world of purgatory has been agreed with as a link between corporeal world and incorporeal world. As is viewed by Sheikh Eshraq, the middle world is established in an order of bond imaginary world and ascending arc from which divinely established world afterlife begins. The philosopher believes in corporeality in some levels and in lack of its necessity in all levels for afterlife happiness and misery. The paper, emphsyzing Quranic verses and traditions, has studied the philosopher`s explanation on purgatory and place of human souls after death.

Molla Sadra`s attempt for harmonizing transcendent theosophy with religion has been criticized by Mirza Mahdi Esfahani and his students. As they say, Sadra`s harmonization of reasoning, mysticism and the Quran has performed misleadingly. The reason why lies in the fact that the three fields may not be taken to be the same with regard to their methods, goals and work methods. Yet, as is viewed in the paper, the claims given by the two parts is exposed to disputation. That is, explaining religious teachings with reliance on prepatetic philosophy and illuminative philosophy` and cutting the relationship between natural reason and self-subsistent reason both may not be acceptable. Finally, a method has been extracted from Quranic verses and traditions by which natural reason of religious people may achieve Divine Mind and interrelate in human Divine spirit in the way of mental growth. This may be taken as a middle way with regard to those of Molla Sadra and Mirza Mahdi Esfahani.

Ibn Qobbah has been known as one of the most famous Moa`tazelite scholar at the beginning of fourth century of hejrah that became Shiite and gave a special explanation on Imamate. His thought, being searchable in Baghdad school, is, particularly in Imam`s qualities, somewhat different from well-known and current idea and, contrary to imamiyyah hadith current, was of a minimum attitude to Imam`s properties. As is explained in the paper, with regard to Ibn Qobbah`s view, one may not agree with Tabatabaei in saying that Ibn Qobbah has negated para human being qualities. Studying Ibn Qobbah`s teachings in Imamate to perceive the history of Imamiyyah theology, it is made clear that he must be taken among those believing in minimum Imamate. His thought, therefore, may be regarded as continuance of Hesham Ibn Hakam`s current; a current limiting Imam only in the field of explaining religion.