A Critique of East-Oriented and West-Oriented Readings of Suhrawardī’s Illuminationist Philosophy
Subject Areas : Geneology of philosophical schools and Ideas
1 - Associate Professor, Islamic Philosophy and Kalam Department, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Keywords: Illuminationist Philosophy, Perennial Leaven, Khusrawānῑ wisdom, Pythagorean essence, Henry Corbin, John Walbridge,
Abstract :
Suhrawardī’s Illuminationist Philosophy has attracted the attention of both Muslim and Western researchers from different aspects. During the contemporary period, several people and groups have tried to interpret the relationship between Illuminationist Philosophy and earlier philosophical schools. For instance, two Western researchers, Henry Corbin and John Walbridge, have conducted a number of influential studies in this regard. Through resorting to certain terms, including the “Pythagorean Leavon” and “Khusrawānῑ Leavon”, which Suhrawardī used in his works and following an Orientalist approach, Corbin explains that Suhrawardī’s purpose in developing Illuminationist philosophy is the revival of ancient Iranian philosophy. However, Corbin is not alone in deriving this conclusion; most of the thinkers who have written on Khusrawānῑ wisdom or dealt with Suhrawardī’s philosophy have adopted the same approach. On the other hand, John Walbridge believes that Suhrawardī’s purpose is to revive the pre-Aristotelean or Pythagorean-Platonic philosophy. Walbridge’s efforts in introducing his interpretation leads to some problems that are far from reality and, in a sense, a kind of deviation in interpreting Suhrawardī’s approach. This is the case while a study of the theorems of Illuminationist philosophy, particularly the attention to the meaning of “perennial leaven”, demonstrates that Suhrawardī’s main goal was to develop a new school of philosophy originated in perennial leaven. He believed that all true schools of philosophy are rooted in perennial leaven and maintained that he received the sparkle of this philosophy on a marvelous day directly from the Holy Master of Miracles. There were also some others in Greece, ancient Iran, and some other civilizations who benefitted from this leaven. Here, perennity does refer to the beginning of history. Rather, it refers to an affair beyond time that encompasses all linear historical times. In the same vein, being inspired by perennial leaven does not mean being influenced by history. Therefore, neither the East-oriented nor the West-oriented reading of Suhrawardī’s Illuminationist philosophy is correct.
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