Unity or Duality of Faith and Knowledge in Transcendent Theosophy

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

asstant professor of Imam Sadeq Research Centre of Islamic Sciences

Abstract

No doubt faith is among the most important and decisive categories related to human being. For we human beings the concern of happiness and final felicity is older and more prominent than any other concern and faith is the cornerstone for human salvation and blessedness.
The present essay is intended to explain the meaning and concept of faith in transcendent theosophy. An exact survey of Mulla Sadra’s and his followers’ philosophical works show that faith in their view and in Sadra’s in particular, is equal to knowledge in the sense of logical affirmation and scholarly certainty. However, reflection on religious sources and texts as well as views of other philosophers and theologians of the category of faith and related issues show the opposite view that faith is distinct and beyond from knowledge. The author of the present article is to discover the true view of Mulla Sadra in this regard and give a critical analysis of it on the basis of rational and revealed arguments and finally give a proper response to the question on the nature of faith in the perspective of transcendent philosophy.

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