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1 - Concept of “Perennial Essence” and the Problem of “Revival or Establishment” in Suhrawardī’s Philosophy
Ali Babaei

The concept of “perennial essence” and its relationship with “Khosravani wisdom” in Illuminationist philosophy has prompted some researchers, such as Henry Corbin, to consider the purpose of Illuminationist philosophy and Suhrawardī’s “huge lifelong project” to be the r More

The concept of “perennial essence” and its relationship with “Khosravani wisdom” in Illuminationist philosophy has prompted some researchers, such as Henry Corbin, to consider the purpose of Illuminationist philosophy and Suhrawardī’s “huge lifelong project” to be the revival of the philosophy of ancient Persia known as Khosravani wisdom. The present study reveals that several pieces of evidence in Illuminationist philosophy indicate that his goal was to establish a new school of philosophy rather than merely reviving a traditional one. An analysis of the concept of “perennial” and the related concepts and the attention to the newly emerged referents of perennial essence in various civilizations disclose the truth of Suhrawardī’s view. There are several differences between the concepts of “establishment” and “revival”; revival is a secondary, dependent, and imitative job, while establishment is an original, fundamental, and innovative endeavor which can also be followed by revival. Moreover, revival is consistent with historical changes, while pre-eternity is not a historical entity and is, rather, metahistorical, and any reception from perennial essence means receiving from a metahistorical source. Hence, discovering the relationship between ancient Persia and Suhrawardī’s Illuminationist philosophy could never be Suhrawardī’s main purpose. If he considers Khosravani wisdom to be a manifestation of the perennial essence, his view of Pythagorean philosophy and other schools of philosophy in some civilizations such as those of India and Babylonia should be the same. As a result, the advocates of the idea of the revival of Persian wisdom should repeat exactly the same views regarding the revival of Greek philosophy and other philosophical schools, while this is not the case. Therefore, Suhrawardī’s main purpose, unlike what some researchers claim, was to establish the Illuminationist philosophy and not to revive Khosravani wisdom. A careful scrutiny of the content of the theory of perennial essence and its concomitants nullifies any claim as to Suhrawardī’s being a Shu‘ūbi philosopher or the dominance of neo-Shu‘ūbism over his philosophical thoughts. Manuscript profile
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2 - A Critique of East-Oriented and West-Oriented Readings of Suhrawardī’s Illuminationist Philosophy
Ali Babaei
20.1001.1.20089589.1402.14.3.1.5

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 e More

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. Manuscript profile

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List of Articles Ali Babaei