The Ontology of Revelation in Fusūs Al-Hikmah

Abbaszadeh, Mahdi

The Ontology of Revelation in Fusūs Al-Hikmah

Document Type : Short scientific article

Author

Mahdi Abbaszadeh

Faculty member at Research Institute for Islamic Culture and Thought

Abstract

The philosophical view of "revelation" has at least two basic parts: the ontology of revelation and the epistemology of revelation. The ontology of revelation looks at this phenomenon in terms of its reality and existence, and the epistemology of revelation examines its status as a source of knowledge and representation.
The treatise Fusūs al-Hikmah (attributed to al-Farabi) is a philosophical-mystical text that, by presenting a philosophical explanation of prophecy, examines the phenomenon of revelation in terms of its reality and existence, as well as its various types and ways, and opens an important chapter in the "ontology of revelation."Accordingly, the topics of the present article are divided into three sections: "Psychology of the Prophet", "Angelology" and "Ontology of Revelation".
In this treatise, the Prophet - who is in the rank of "holy soul" - possesses the highest level of intuitive perception because he can receive true knowledge both directly from the Guarded Tablet (divine knowledge) and through the channel of revelation (in its special sense), which takes place mainly through the mediation of an angel. However, the essence of an angel has two aspects or two modes of existence: the real aspect (existence in itself) and an aspect in analogy with humans (existence in relation). The angel's "existence in itself" originates from the heavenly world (Malakut) and abstract affairs, so it lacks a body and material accidents and has no form or shape, and therefore cannot appear and be evident to the Prophet's senses; although the Prophet's holy soul can have a special spiritual encounter with him and receive such revelation. However, the angel's "existence in relation" has the power to appear and manifest itself to the Prophet. The angel can "represent" himself to the Prophet through this essence or existence. In such a situation, the Prophet's senses are attracted to the higher world and a form of an angel is represented to him according to his tolerance and capacity, and the angel's speech is heard in the form of revelation. Such representation occurs in the Prophet's "imagination" - which is one of the inner senses. Therefore, receiving prophetic revelation from an angel is in two ways: without the representation of an angel (direct or true revelation) and with the representation of an angel (mediated or representational revelation). The first way is more difficult because it is completely far from human habits, but the second is not.

Keywords

Prophecy

revelation

holy soul

angel

representation

imagination

Holy Qur'an.

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