Illuminationism is an influential school of Islamic Philosophy developed in the 12th century by Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi that is still studied today. Illumination '' can be translated as "the Rising of the Sun." While the 1258 Mongol Sacking of Baghdad and subsequent invasion effectively ended the Islamic Golden Age, it also paved the way for new ideas like illuminationist philosophy. The Political change brought philosophical changes. Influenced by Ibn Sina and Neoplatonism, the Persian or Kurdish, philosopher Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi, who left over 50 writings in Persian and Arabic, founded the school of Illumination. He developed a version of illuminationism. The Persian and Islamic school draws on ancient Iranian philosophical disciplines, Avicennism, Neoplatonic thought, and the original ideas of Suhrawardi. None of Suhrawardi's works were translated into Latin, and so he remained unknown in the Latin West, although his work continued to be studied in the Islamic East. According to Hosein Nasr, Suhrawardi was unknown to the west until he was translated to western languages by contemporary thinkers such as Henry Corbin, and he remains largely unknown even in countries within the Islamic world. Suhrawardi tried to present a new perspective on questions like those of existence. He not only caused peripatetic philosophers to confront such new questions but also gave new life to the body of philosophy after Avicenna. According to John Walbridge, Suhrawardi's critiques of Peripatetic philosophy could be counted as an important turning point for his successors. Although Suhravardi was first a pioneer of Peripatetic philosophy, he later became a Platonist following a mystical experience. He is also counted as one who revived the ancient wisdom in Persia by his philosophy of illumination. His followers, such as Shahrzouri and Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi tried to continue the way of their teacher. Suhrewardi makes a distinction between two approaches in the philosophy of illumination: one approach is discursive and another is intuitive. Illuminationist thinkers in the School of Isfahan played a significant role in revitalizing academic life in the Safavid Empire under Shah Abbas I. Avicennan thought continued to inform philosophy during the reign of the Safavid Empire. Illuminationism was taught in Safavid Madrasas established by pious shahs.
Mulla Sadra 17th century Iranian philosopher was considered a masterof illuminationism. He wrote a book titled al-Asfar meaning "The Yellow" or "The Light." The word Asfar also denotes a journey of the soul back to Allah. He developed his book into an entire School of Thought, he did not refer to al-Asfar as a philosophy but as Sadra taught how one could be illuminated or given wisdom until becoming a sage. Al-Asfar was one piece of Illuminationism which is still an active part of Islamic Philosophy today. Al-Asfar was representative of Mulla Sadra's entire philosophical worldview.Like many important Arabian works it is difficult for the western world to understand because it has not been translated into English. Mulla Sadra eventually became the most significant teacher at the religious school known as Madrasa-yi His philosophies are still taught throughout the Islamic East and South Asia.
Key Concepts
In his Philosophy of Illumination, Suhrawardi argued that light operates at all levels and hierarchies of reality. Light produces immaterial and substantial lights, including immaterial intellects, human and animal souls, and even 'dusky substances', such as bodies. Suhrawardi's metaphysics is based on two principles. The first is a form of the principle of sufficient reason. The second principle is Aristotle's principle that an actual infinity is impossible.
Illuminationism in Books
Al-Asfar is Mulla Sadra's book explaining his view of illuminationism. He views problems starting with a Peripatetic sketch. This Aristotelian style of teaching is reminiscent of Islamic Golden Age Philosopher Avicenna. Mulla Sadra often refers to the Qur'an when dealing with philosophical problems. He even quotes Qur'anic verses while explaining philosophy. He wrote exegeses of the Qur'an such as his explanation of Asfar means journey. In al-Asfar you are gaining on a journey to gain wisdom. Mulla Sadra used philosophy as a set spiritual exercises to become more wise. Eventually this as you go through life you continue to gain more knowledge until you become a sage, hence godlike. In Mulla Sadra's book The Transcendent Philosophy of the Four Journeys of the Intellect he describes the four journeys of 1. A journey from creation to the Truth or Creator 2. A journey from the Truth to the Truth 3. A journey that stands in relation to the first journey because it is from the Truth to creation with the Truth 4. A journey that stands in relation to the second journey because it is from the Truth to the creation.
