Persia is home to one of the few civilizations in the world that has had a continuous tradition of philosophical thought lasting more than two and a half millennia. From the time Zoroaster brought the Gathas, the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism, until today, it has had a philosophical tradition comprising diverse schools and various languages including Avestan and Pahlavi as well as Arabic and Persian. The West has seen surveys of Persian art and anthologies of Persian literature, but this work is the first to present a millennial tradition of philosophy in Persia in the form of translated selections and introductory sections for each period and figure. Existing translations have been used where possible but most of the selections have been newly translated for this work which, with the help of the explanatory introductions, makes possible an intellectual journey into a philosophical continent much of which has been uncharted for Westerners until now. The fifth and final volume of An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia deals with some seven centuries of Islamic thought stretching from the era following the Mongol invasion to the end of the Qajar period. Organized around the cities which became the main centres of philosophical activity during this long period, the volume is divided into three parts: The School of Shiraz, whose importance not only for Persia but also for Ottoman Turkey and Muslim India is only now being recognized; The School of Isfahan, which marks the integration of some eight centuries of Islamic thought and culminates with Mulla Sadra; and finally The School of Tehran, where traditional philosophy first encountered modern thought in Persia, bringing this series into present times.
List of Reprinted Works
Note on Transliteration
List of Contributors
General Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Prolegomenon, M. Aminrazavi
Part I : The School of Shiraz
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
1. Jall al-D蘋n Dawn蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
The Treatise of Baghdad (from Rislat al-zawr尨)
2. 廜糎dr al-D蘋n Dashtak蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Treatise on the Problem of the Liars Paradox (from Rislah f蘋 shubhat jadhr al-a廜ζmm)
3. Ghiyth al-D蘋n Man廜贖r Dashtak蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Man廜贖rian Ethics (from Akhlq-i Man廜贖r蘋)
Stations of the Gnostics (from Maqmt al-尪rif蘋n)
4. Shams al-D蘋n Khafr蘋
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Treatise on Prime Matter (from Rislah fil-hay贖l)
Treatise on the Bewilderment of the Learned: The Liars Paradox (from Rislat 尪ibrat al-fu廎al尨: Jadhr al-a廜ζmm)
Part II : The School of Isfahan
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
1. M蘋r Dmd
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Sparks of Fire (from 硃梭-紮硃莉硃莽櫻喧)
2. M蘋r Findirisk蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Treatise on the Arts (from Rislah-yi 廜ξn尪iyyah)
3. Mull 廜糎dr
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Four Intellectual Journeys (from al-Asfr al-尪aqliyyah al-arba尪ah)
Metaphysical Penetrations (from 鬼勳喧櫻莉硃梭-紼硃莽堯櫻尪勳娶)
The Unification of the Intellector and the Intellected (from Itti廎汁d al-尪qil wal-ma尪q贖l)
4. The Two Lh蘋j蘋s
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Pearl of Desire (from Gawhar-i murd)
Lights of Inspiration (from Shawriq al-ilhm)
Persian Treatises (from Ras尨il-i frs蘋)
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… A廎叮ad 尪Alaw蘋
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Commentary on The Book of Healing (from Shar廎 al-shif尨)
6. Mull Rajab 尪Al蘋 Tabr蘋z蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
On the Necessary Being (from Ithbt-i wjib)
The Fundamental Principle (from al-A廜ρ al-a廜蘋l)
7. Mull Mu廎叫in Fay廎 Kshn蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Hidden Words (from Kalimt makn贖nah)
Divine Sciences (from al-Ma尪rif al-ilhiyyah)
8. Q廎蘋 Sa尪蘋d Qumm蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Mysteries of Worship (from Asrr al-尪ibdt)
Commentary on the Enneads (from Ta尪l蘋qt bar uth贖l贖jiy)
9. Mu廎仟mmad 廜〢diq Ardistn蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
廜〢diqian Wisdom (from al-廎夕kmah al-廜〢diqiyyah)
Part III: The Qajar Period and the School of Tehran
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
1. Qu廜苑 al-D蘋n Nayr蘋z蘋
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Measure of Good in the Elucidation of the Subject of Rhetoric (from M蘋zn al-廜ζwb dar shar廎-i fa廜ρ al-khi廜俸b)
2. Mull Ism尪蘋l Khj贖尨蘋
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
On the Refutation of Illusory Time (from Ib廜俸l al-zamn al-mawh贖m)
3. Mull 尪Al蘋 N贖r蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Glosses upon The Secrets of Verses (from Shar廎 asrr al-yt)
4. 廎勾jj蘋 Mull Hd蘋 Sabzawr蘋
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Commentary on a Philosophical Poem (from Shar廎 al-man廕贖mah)
5. Mull 尪Abd Allh Zun贖z蘋
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Divine Flashes of Light (from Lama尪t-i ilhiyyah)
6. q 尪Al蘋 Mudarris 廜枰hrn蘋 (Zun贖z蘋)
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Marvels of Wisdom (from Badyi尪 al-廎可kam)
7. q Mu廎仟mmad Ri廎 Qumsha尨蘋
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
On the Oneness of Existence, or Rather, the Existent (from Rislah f蘋 wa廎卡at al-wuj贖d bal al-mawj贖d)
Addendum to the Ringstone on Seth from The Ringstones of Wisdom on the Topics of Friendship (from Dhayl-i fa廜廜-i sh蘋th蘋-yi fu廜贖廜 al-廎可kam: dar mab廎可th-i walyat)
8. M蘋rz Abul-廎兀san 廜柑b廜苔b尨蘋 (Jilwah)
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Philosophical Epistles (from Ras尨il falsafiyyah)
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 has lectured widely. Since 1984 he has been 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 Professor of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Mary Washington, where he is also co-Director of the Leidecker Center for Asian Studies.