Ibn Sina and Mulla Sadra's Philosophical, Mystical Encounter with the Problem of Evil

Salem, M.

doi:10.58209/jpt.1.4.355

Ibn Sina and Mulla Sadra's Philosophical, Mystical Encounter with the Problem of Evil

Document Type : Original Research

Author

M. Salem

Theology and Religious Studies Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.58209/jpt.1.4.355

Abstract

Following the occurrence of unfortunate phenomena such as epidemics, floods, earthquakes, wars and the like and the sacrifice of many people in a short period of time and the inability of humans to control those phenomena, the God-believer's mind challenges to divine attributes, especially pure goodness, as well as his care for the universe, have been known throughout the history of science as the challenge of evil. Resolving this challenge from public opinion has always been the concern of God-fearing thinkers, and has led them to somehow establish the right connection between the pure good God and the material world full of evil, and to show the evil caused by imperfections. It exists in the material world and has nothing to do with God. This article tries to explain the philosophical answer of Avicenna and the mysticism one of Mulla Sadra and mystics, and to emphasize that since evil is presented in terms of multiplicity and nature, it is a mental matter and has no external existence. Just as multiplicity and nature exist outside as a result of existence and unity, so evil exists outside as a result of existence. It is also shown that Mulla Sadra's mystical answer is complementary to Ibn Sina's philosophical answer and is consistent with the principles of his transcendent theosophy. Ibn Sina's philosophical answer is useful in argumental philosophy and Mulla Sadra’s mystical answer is useful in contemplational theosophy. So each of these answers can be useful at different levels of thinking.

Keywords

Avicenna

Mulla Sadra

Existence

Entity

Evil

Principality of existence

The best arrangement of things

Subjects

Metaphysics (Islamic)

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