Manifestation of Divine Unity in Human Soul from the Viewpoints of Ibn ‘Arabī and Mullā Ṣadrā

Document Type : علمی پژوهشی

Author

• Murtaḍā Shajārī

10.22067/philosophy.v41i1.3179

Abstract

Islam stresses on the unity of God, and as Muslim thinkers mostly view the human being as God's vicegerent who is an object of manifestation for Divine Attributes and who enjoys Divine Image, and in one respect, regard man as a rational soul, therefore human soul (nafs) – although having various faculties – like
Almighty God, enjoys unity. Of course, numerous interpretations of this unity of soul have been presented based on particular intellectual foundations of each thinker. Ibn ‘Arabī believes that as the Almighty God is a One that has manifested in multitudes and the multitudes represent His Oneness, human soul is also a one that is manifested in different faculties that represent his means and tools. Mullā Ṣadrā views the relation between soul and faculties and its acts as similar to Unity of Divine Acts. To his opinion, human soul is all sensual, hallucinatory, imaginative, and rational faculties; and that, every one who is cognizant of the reality of being and its modes will grasp this intricate issue.
Keywords: soul, faculties of the soul, acts of the soul, Unity, Divine vicegerent.

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