Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Tawghifiyat of Divine Attributes according to Sheikh Mofid and Avicenna

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Tolo Mehr University, Qom, Iran
10.22034/jis.2023.316579.1748
Abstract
In the history of human thinking, no fundamental problem has forced mankind to think as much as the knowledge of God, which cannot grow except through His attributes. Answering how to use these attributes has been a serious request from thinkers of every age, especially philosophers and theologians. The view of Sheikh Mofid and Avicenna, as the most influential and stable views in the field of theology and philosophy, which caused profound intellectual changes after them, have special privileges among Islamic thinkers and in the theological-philosophical thought of Imamiyya. Modeling these two philosophical and theological views in the system of Shia thought, this article aims to examine them on an important issue regarding divine attributes, that is, "tawghifiyat of divine names and attributes". In this regard, although Sheikh Mofid believes in tawghifiyat, and Avicenna does not, both of them have stated that it is intellectually permissible. Therefore, taking into account the common bases inferred and extracted from the opinions of both thinkers and paying attention to the lack of fundamental differences between them in this regard, the article concluded the monotheistic value of Shiite thought as the basis of the two views and also as the comprehensive aspect between the Imami theology and Islamic philosophy.
 
Keywords
Subjects

Abu Ali Sina, Hoseyn ibn Abdollah. 1983. Al-Shefa: Al-Elahiyat, Qom: Ayatollah Marashi Library. [in Arabic]
Abu Ali Sina, Hoseyn ibn Abdollah. 1984. Al-Mabda wa al-Maad (Origin and Resurrection), Tehran: Institute of Islamic Studies. [in Arabic]
Ahadiyan, Nahid. 2011. "Barresi Eshterak Lafzi wa Manawi dar Asma wa Sefat Elahi dar Ayat wa Rewayat (Investigating Homonymy of Divine Names and Attributes in Verses and Narrations)", in: Teaching Islamic Knowledge, yr. 23, no. 3, pp. 58-61. [in Farsi]
Etesami, Abd al-Hadi; Berenjkar, Reza, Rezayi; Mohammad Jafar. 2019. "Wojudshenakhti Sefat Elahi az Manzar Motekalleman Madreseh Baghdad (Ontology of Divine Attributes from the Perspective of Baghdad School Theologians)", in: Shiite Studies, yr. 5, no. 16, pp. 5-29. [in Farsi]
Fakhr al-Din Razi, Mohammad ibn Omar. 1985. Lawame al-Bayyenat: Sharh Asmaollah Taala wa al-Sefat (Bright Evidence: Explanation of Allah's Names and Attributes), Cairo: Azharite Colleges Library. [in Arabic]
Fakhr al-Din Razi, Mohammad ibn Omar. 1994. Sharh Oyun al-Hekmah (Commentary of the Book Springs of Wisdom), Qom: Al-Sadegh (AS) Institute, First Edition, vol. 3. [in Arabic]
Fayyaz Lahiji, Abd al-Razzagh. 2004. Gohar Morad (Gem of Meaning), Tehran: Shadow. [in Farsi]
Hasanzadeh Amoli, Hasan. 1997. Kalameh Olya dar Toghifiyat Asma (A High Speech in Toghifiyat of Names), Qom: Islamic Propaganda Office, Third Edition. [in Farsi]
Hosayni Zobaydi Waseti, Sayyed Mortaza. 1993. Taj al-Arus men Jawaher al-Ghamus (Bride Crown from Dictionary Jewels), Beirut: Thought Institute. [in Arabic]
Hoseyni Khamenei, Seyyed Ali. 2009. Tarh Kolli Andisheh Islami dar Quran (An Outline of Islamic Thought in the Quran), Tehran: Publication of the Islamic Revolution, First Edition. [in Farsi]
Hoseyni Tehrani, Mohammad Hoseyn. 1993. Tohid Elmi wa Eyni (Scientific and Objective Monotheism), Mashhad: Allameh Tabatabai Publication, Second Edition. [in Farsi]
Ibn Arabi, Mohammad ibn Ali. 1985. Sharh Fosus al-Hekam, Prepared by Mahmud Mahmud Qorab, Damascus: n.pub. [in Arabic]
Ibn Arabi, Mohyi al-Din. 1920. Al-Tadbirat al-Elahiyah fi Eslah al-Mamlekah al-Ensaniyah (Divine Plans in Reforming the Human Kingdom), Damascus: Islamic Sources. [in Arabic]
Ibn Furak, Mohammad. 1986. Mojarrad Maghalat al-Sheykh Abi al-Hasan al-Ashari, Researched by Gimaret, Beirut: Al-Mashregh House, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences in Saint Joseph University, vol. 1. [in Arabic]
Ibn Manzur, Mohammad ibn Mokarram. 1993. Lesan al-Arab (Language of Arabs), Beirut: Sader House, vol. 9. [in Arabic]
Ibn Sina, Hoseyn ibn Abdollah. 1985. Resalah Azhawiyah, Edited, Foreworded & Annotated by Hoseyn Khadiwjam, Tehran: Information, Second Edition. [in Arabic]
Ibrahimi Dinani, Gholam Hoseyn. 1974. "Niyayesh Filsuf (Philosopher's Prayer)", in: Islamic Studies, no. 13, pp. 260-272. [in Farsi]
Ibrahimi Dinani, Gholam Hoseyn. 1996. Asma wa Sefat Hagh Tabarak wa Taala (The Names and Attributes of the Almighty), Tehran: People of Pen. [in Farsi]
Jahami, Jirar. 2004. Mawsuah Mostalahat Ibn Sina (Lexicon of Ibn Sina's Terms), Beirut: Lebanon Library Publishers, First Edition. [in Arabic]
Jorjani, Mir Sayyed Sharif Ali ibn Mohammad. 1946. Sharh Mawaghef, Beirut: Thought House. [in Arabic]
Jorjani, Mir Sayyed Sharif Ali ibn Mohammad. 1991. Al-Tarifat (Definitions), Tehran: Naser Khosrow. [in Arabic]
Khoyi, Abolghasem. 1940. Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran (The Explanation of the Interpretation of the Quran), Beirut: Al-Zahra House, Fourth Edition. [in Arabic]
Kiyani, Mansur. 2002. "Abu Ali Sina dar Ayineh Tarikh (Avicenna in the Mirror of History)", in: Missionaries, no. 157, pp. 122-129. [in Farsi]
McDermott, Martin. 1993. Andisheh-hay Kalami Sheikh Mofid (Theological Thoughts of Sheikh Mofid), Translated by Ahmad Aram, Tehran: University of Tehran. [in Farsi]
Mofid, Mohammad ibn Mohammad ibn Noman. 1992. Awael al-Maghalat fi al-Mazaheb wa al-Mokhtarat (Primary Statements on Denominations and Anthologies), Qom: The World Conference of Sheikh al-Mufid. [in Arabic]
Mohaghghegh Ameli, Hasan Ali. 1992. Kashf al-Fawaed fi Sharh Ghawaed al-Aghaed (Discovering the Benefits in Explanation of the Rules of Beliefs), Beirut: Chivalry House, vol. 1. [in Arabic]
Mojtabayi, Fathollah; et al. n.d. "Ibn Sina (Avicenna)", in: The Great Islamic Encyclopedia, vol. 4. Article no. 1356, at: http://erfanvahekmat.com
Motahari, Morteza. 1993. Majmueh Athar Shahid Motahari (The Collection of the Martyr Motahhari's Works), Tehran: Sadra, vol. 3. [in Farsi]
Mozaffar, Mohammad Reza. 1994. Al-Mantegh (Logic), Translated by Ali Shirwani, Annotated by Mohsen Gharawiyan & Gholam Reza Fayyazi, Qom: Knowledge House, Second Edition. [in Arabic]
Rabbani Golpaygani, Ali. 1992. "Gozari bar Aray Sheikh Mofid Piramun Sefat Elahi (A Passage on Sheikh Mofid's Opinions about Divine Attributes)", in: Light of Science, no. 45, pp. 29-55. [in Farsi]
Ragheb Isfahani, Hosayn ibn Mohammad. 1991. Al-Mofradat fi Gharib al-Quran (Glossary of Quranic Terms), Beirut: Pen House, Second Edition.  [in Arabic]
Sabzewari, Hadi. n.d. Asrar al-Hekam (Secrets of Wisdom), Tehran: Religious Press. [in Arabic]
Sadr al-Moteallehin, Mohammad ibn Ibrahim. 1981. Al-Hekmah al-Motealiyyah fi al-Asfar al-Aghliyah al-Arbaah (Transcendent Wisdom in the Four Intellectual Journeys), Beirut: Arab Heritage Revival House, Third Edition. [in Arabic]
Sadr al-Moteallehin, Mohammad ibn Ibrahim. 1991. Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim (Exegesis of the Holy Quran), Tehran: Bidar, Second Edition, vol. 4. [in Arabic]
Sadugh, Mohammad ibn Ali. 1993. Al-Eteghadat (The Beliefs), Qom: The International Conference of Sheikh al-Mofid. [in Arabic]
Sadugh, Mohammad ibn Ali. 2019. Al-Tawhid (Monotheism), Qom: Islamic Publishing Corporation. [in Arabic]
Shahrestani, Mohammad ibn Abd al-Karim. 1985. Al-Melal wa al-Nehal (A Companion to Nations and Schools), Qom: n.pub, Third Edition. [in Arabic]
Sharani, Abu al-Hasan. n.d. Sharh Farsi Tajrid al-Eteghad (The Persian Commentary of the Book Tajrid al-Eteghad), Tehran: Islamiyeh. [in Farsi]
Sobhani, Jafar. 1991. Al-Elahiyat ala Hoda al-Ketab wa al-Sonnah wa al-Aghl (Theology Based on the Guidance of the Quran, Tradition and Intellect), Qom: World Center for Islamic Studies. [in Arabic]
Tabatabai, Sayyed Mohammad Hosayn. 1996. Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Quran (The Yardstick of the Interpretation of the Quran), Qom: Islamic Publications Office. [in Arabic]