The fourth volume of the Anthology of Philosophy in Persia deals with one of the richest and yet least known periods of philosophical life in Persia, the centuries between the seventh/thirteenth century, that saw the eclipse of the school of Khorosan, and the tenth/sixteenth century that coincided with the rise of the SafavidsA major Shi’i dynasty which ruled Persia (1501-1732 CE), and was succeeded by the Afsharids. (See also Qizilbash, Safawiyya.). The main schools dealt with in this volume are the Peripatetic (mashsha’i) School, the School of Illumination (ishraq) of Suhrawardi, and various forms of philosophical Sufism, especially the school of Ibn ‘Arabi, that had its origins in the works of Ghazzali and ‘Ayn al-Qudat Hamadani. This period was also notable for the philosopher-scientists such as Nasir al-Din Tusi and Qutb al-Din Shirazi.
List of Reprinted Works
Note on Transliteration
List of Contributors
General Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Introductory Analysis, M. Aminrazavi
Part I: The School of Illumination
1. Shihb al-D朝n Suhraward朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
The Philosophy of Illumination (from 畍ikmat al-ishrq)
2. Shams al-D朝n Mu畍ammad Shahraz笛r朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Excursion of Spirits and Garden of Delights (from Nuzhat al-arw畍 wa raw畍at al-afr畍)
3. Qu畊b al-D朝n Sh朝rz朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Pearl of the Crown (from Durrat al-tj)
4. Jall al-D朝n Dawn朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Commentary on Suhraward朝s Temples of Light (from Shar畍 haykil al-n笛r)
Flashes of Illumination on Praiseworthy Ethics, or, The Jallian Ethics (from Akhlq-i jall朝)
5. Ibn Ab朝 Jumh笛r A畍s幣朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Book of the Illuminated, Mirror of the Saviour (from Kitb al-mujl朝 mir幣t al-munj朝)
6. Mull 畊adr
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Glosses upon the Commentary of Suhraward朝s Philosophy of Illumination (from Ta平liqt 平al shar畍 畍ikmat al-ishrq)
Part II: The Revival of Peripatetic Philosophy
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
1. Na畊Ｄr al-D朝n 畊笛s朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Commentary on Ibn S朝ns Remarks and Admonitions (from Shar畍 al-ishrt wal-tanb朝ht)
Treatise on the Division of Existents (from Rislah andar qismat-i mawj笛dt)
2. Af畍al al-D朝n Kshn朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Compositions (from 珂顎畊a稼稼温韓偵岳)
3. Dab朝rn-i Ktib朝-yi Qazw朝n朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Wisdom from the Source (from 畍ikmat al-平ayn)
4. Ath朝r al-D朝n Abhar朝 and 粥馨朝姻(pl. umar幣) Arabic lit. a prince, a commander, or a leader. In early Muslim history, the word am朝r referred to an army commander. During the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, the… 畍usayn Maybud朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Commentary upon Guidance through Wisdom (from Shar畍 hidyat al-畍ikmah)
5. Qu畊b al-D朝n Rz朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Conception and Judgment (from al-Ta畊awwur wal-ta畊d朝q)
Part III: Philosophical Sufism
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
1. Ab笛 畍つmid Mu畍ammad Ghazzl朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
The Niche of Lights (from Mishkt al-anwr)
The Wisdom from God (from al-Rislat al-laduniyyah)
Three Treatises on Knowledge (from Thalth ras幣il fil-ma平rifah)
2. A畍mad Ghazzl朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Auspices of Divine Lovers (from Sawni畍 al-平ushshq)
3. 平Ayn al-Qu畍t Hamadn朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Dispositions (from 意温馨鞄朝糸偵岳)
The Letters (from 鰻偵馨温-鞄偵)
4. 畊adr al-D朝n Q笛naw朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Texts (from 温鉛-鰻顎畊Ｅ畊)
5. Sayyid(pl. sda/asyd) Arabic term for lord or master. It is a pre-Islamic term and refers to a person who possesses dignity or enjoys an exalted position among his people. Amongst… 畍aydar mul朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Sum of Secrets and the Source of Lights (from Jmi平 al-asrr wa manba平 al-anwr)
6. Ibn Turkah I畊fahn朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Establishing the Principles (from Tamh朝d al-qaw平id)
7. Ma畍m笛d Shabistar朝 and Shams al-D朝n Mu畍ammad Lh朝j朝
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Commentary on the Secret Garden of Divine Mystery (from Shar畍 gulshan-i rz)
8. 平Abd al-Ra畍mn Jm朝
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
The Precious Pearl (from al-Durrah al-fkhirah)
Select Bibliography
Index
Seyyed Hossein Nasr received his early education in Iran and completed his formal studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. He is the author of over five hundred articles and fifty books. He has taught at a number of universities, both in the Middle East, including Tehran University, and in the United States, and he has lectured widely on Islamic philosophy. He is currently University Professor of Islamic Studies at The George Washington University.
Mehdi Aminrazavi received his early education in Iran and completed his master’s degree in Philosophy at the University of Washington and his doctorate in Philosophy of Religion at Temple University. He is the author and editor of numerous articles and books and is currently Professor of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Mary Washington and Director of the Middle Eastern Studies Program.