Sufism and Philosophy in the Contemporary Shia Seminary

SeyedAmirHossein Asghariis a Research Associate in the Department of Religion at Baylor University and a Senior Fellow at Indiana University Bloomington's Center for the Study of the Middle East. He holds a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and Religion. His research focuses on Islamic intellectual traditions, Sufism, interreligious understanding, law and ethics, natural law, and Shiism.

This is an important work on a neglected field in Shi'i Studies. SeyedAmirHossein Asghari is to be commended, his contribution is original and provides much needed insight into the mystical dimension of Shi'ism.

• Introduction : A Short Note on Sufism, Arif, and Irfan. Between Revelation and Reason. Shi'i-Sufi Intersections: Historical and Doctrinal Studies. Chapters outline. Chapter 1: Convergence and Divergence: The Shi'i and Sufi Traditions in Dialogue. The Interaction Context of Shi'i and Sufi Thought'Ali b. Mu¯sa¯ ibn Ta¯wu¯s. Hasan b. Hamza al-Shirazi al-PalasiIbn MimarSayyid Haydar AmuliMulla Sadra ShiraziMuhammad Baqir MajlisiIbn Taymiyyah on the Hadith of aql (Intellect)Post-Sadrian Philosophical and Sufi Movements. Notes on the Revival of the Ni'matullahi Order. Masum Ali Shah Dakkani and Aqa Muhammad Ali KirmanshahiNur Ali Shah IsfahaniBahr al-‘Ulum and his Risalah fi al-Sir wa-l-Suluk. Mulla Abd al-Samad Hamadani and The Question of the Origin of the Sufi School in the Shi'i Seminary. The Post-Sadra Dhahabiyya Sufi Order and Shi?i-Sufi Convergence The Kubrawiyya order, Kubra, and Ismaili QasriRevival of the Dhahabiyya Order in Iran After the Safavid Era. Nayrizi and BidabadiSadr al-Din Kashif al-DizfuliChapter 2: The Philosophical and Mystical Edifice: Tracing the Legacy of the Sufi School of NajafShi'i Seminary (al-Hawzat al-iilmiyya)A critical perspective. Negation of Affiliation to SufismSayyid Kashif Dizfuli, Sayyid Ali Shushtari and Shaykh Murtada al-AnsariMulla Quli Jula. Sayyid Ali ShushtariMulla Husaynquli Shavandi HamadaniSayyidd Ahmad Karbala’iSufi and Philosophical Correspondence on the Concept of Tawhid (Divine Unity)Shaykh Muhammad BahariBetween Bahari’s Tadhkirat al-Muttaqin and Shi'iSayyid Ali Aqa Qadi Tabataba iInitiation to the Dhahabi OrderSayyid Ali Qadi and His Approach to Sufism.The Sufi School of Najaf and the Naqshbandi Risala-yi Nur-i WahdatAllamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'iChapter 3: The Maktab-i Tafkik (School of Separation): Isfahani's Opposition to Sufism and Philosophy in Shii ThoughtExploring Tafkik: Isfahani's Role in Shaping Anti-philosophical Discourse. Beginning of an Opposition: A Transformative Dream.Isfahani’s Return to Iran and His Intellectual ShiftProminent Disciples and the Development of the SchoolThe Concept and Doctrine of Tafkik.Isfahani’s Critique of Philosophy and Sufism.The Dichotomy of Knowledge in Isfahani’s ThoughtRejecting Philosophical Reasoning: Isfahani and Ahsa'i on the Incompatibility of Divine and Human Knowledge. Isfahani’s Views in the Context of His Time.From Isfahani to Hakimi: Shifts and Continuities in Tafkik's Approach to Philosophy.Tafkik's Perspective on Divine Versus Human Theology. Critique of Mulla Sadra and Transcendent Philosophy. A short note on the Hujjatiyah Society. The Sufi School of Najaf and Its Intellectual Engagement with Tafkik. Ashtiyani's Critique of Tafkik and Philosophical Discourse. Navigating Mysticism and Philosophy: Sayyid Muhammad Hossein Hosseini Tihrani's Insights. Contemporary Debates in Islamic Thought: Reason, Revelation, and Sufism.Conclusion. Chapter 4: The Soul: A Ground for DisagreementFrom Vegetative to Rational: Ibn Sina’s Conceptualization of the Soul Across Life Forms. Redefining the Soul: Mulla Sadra’s Exploration of Immateriality and Existence. Divergent Perspectives on the Soul: IsfahaniDarkness and Obscureness of the SoulTranscending Realms: Self-Knowledge in the Sufi School of NajafTabatabai’s Discourse on the Soul: Bridging Self-Knowledge and Divine Unity. Tabatabai's Qur'anic Vision: Interpreting Self and Community in Islam.Tabatabai's Perspective on Self-Knowledge as the Path to Divine Unity. Tabataba'i on Soul in Practical Sufism (Irfan Amali)The Soul's Consciousness and Self-Knowledge. Conclusion: The Soul's Path Through Islamic Philosophy and Sufism.Chapter 5: Beyond Wilayat al-Faqih: Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i on Authority and Practical Wisdom.From Mulla Sadra to Wilayat al-Faqih?Wilayat al-Faqih: Fiqh or Philosophy?Tabataba'i Practical Wisdom and Political Philosophy. Between “Real” and “Secondary Intellectual Consideration”The Principle of Employment and Human Society. Leadership and Innate Human Nature (Fitrah)Algar's Analysis: Comparing Khomeini and Tabatabai’s Perspectives on Governance. Governance: Emphasizing Collective Responsibility and Accountability. Collective Responsibility: Maintain With Justice. Conclusion. Conclusion: Synthesizing Traditions Shi'i Intellectualism: Conflict and Transformation.Bibliography