Mulla Sadra: Speaking of the Soul

For Sadra, the soul is the substance.


Soul, interest Sadr ad-Din Muhammad Shirazi. Muslim scholar, who is better known as Mulla Sadra, the soul deals with the study of philosophy which he field. And, in this field, he wrote an important work. One of them, Al-Hikmah al-Muta'aliyyah fi al-Asfar al-Aqliyyah al-Arba'ah.

Kholid Dr. Al Walid, who teaches at the Islamic College, Jakarta, in the National Seminar on''Mistitisme Philosophy and Islam, Ibn Arabi and Mulla Sadra,''at the University of Islamic State, January 16, 2010 and, say, Sadra deals with the soul in one full-volume book. The book consists of eight volumes.

In his work, Sadra held a series of evidence about the existence of the soul. He said, wujudnbsp; mumkin is the most important manifestation and there is no futility in creation or known by istilahnbsp; Imkan wa al-Asryaf 'Abatsiah Adam al-Khalq Mumkinan. He also gave an explanation about this.

When God Almighty created the creatures of His, He began dengannbsp; creation of the ultimate substance and perfect. The first substance is created, says Sadra, has an infinite quality because of its proximity to the Creator and the creation of the first.

As for the next substance, has the same level of perfection with the first substance. However, the quality is below the first substance. Sadra also states, the process of actualization of the action potential is a manifestation refinement process. This shows that every form of being not created in vain.

According to Sadra, this could only happen in the soul wujudnbsp; mumkin and there are elements that move the actualization, namely the soul. He also gave another proof of the existence of the soul. In this case, he talked about the effects of the material. For example, the senses can perceive what is around him.

Also, the senses can know what's going on around him. According to him, this can only happen if there is a soul. For, if there is material, but do not have a soul, the material could not perceive everything around him.

Sadra also convey other important things about the existence of the soul. According to him, life is the soul ataunbsp; al-hayah Hiya al-nafs. Related to this, he says, has various senses and being able to perceive a variety of images. Thus, these creatures can be described as living beings.

Senses that have the ability to perceive various kinds of objects that, says Sadra, derived from the three possibilities, namely the main source of the so-called soul, the soul has a physical, or physical. However, he asserted, sensory ability to perceive objects came from the soul.

On the other hand, Sadra rejected suggestions that sensory ability to perceive physical objects from which a soul. Therefore, the physical self that is controlled by a spirit capable jiwalah perceive actual objects. The view that the ability to perceive objects because of the sense of physical, also opposed.

Because, says Sadra, the physical will not live without a soul. In discussing this issue, Sadra gives an example. A boat, he said, would provide certain benefits for mankind. This is true if there is a paddle or control, that is human. Without someone who rowed, the boat would lose meaning.

According to Sadra, the boat becomes useless material. Thus, the physical form requires something other than himself. Furthermore, he saw the soul as a substance. That is, various effects, such as growing, moving, and reproduce in humans or animals caused by what is in him.

However, self inside living things is not the material body but the soul. All forms of the locus and is back to something of substance. And, Sadra concluded that the soul is a substance. He also added, along with the soul of the physical formation.

Raga and souls
Sadra explains, both soul and matter in the beginning, both originated from the material. The material consisted of two elements, namely form and basic materials. Then, in the development, form turned into the soul and the material turned into a physical basis. Sadra's view is different from the views of earlier philosophers.

Therefore, the philosophers thought that the soul is first created, only then physically created and they are united and interrelated. However, Sadra also has similar views with other philosophers. It's about the link between body and soul.

The Muslim philosophers said, the soul will remain alive in the body has been destroyed. It happened because the soul is transcendent and is not dependent on the body except as an identity for himself. The existence of the soul becomes the locus for the existence of the body, but not vice versa.

A philosopher who is also a doctor, Ibn Sina, say, real life is not experienced with the death of bodily death. In fact, he said, the soul is not destroyed at all. Without the soul, the body can not be resurrected. Resurrection will happen if the soul exists. Sadra also has a similar view.

Sadra argues, the soul can not be destroyed because the potential is not the substance of the soul. According to him, something that has the potential for destruction is something that can be destroyed and it is matter. As for the soul, it is a substance that was transcendent. Thus, the soul can not be destroyed.

The bond between body and soul, says Sadra, an obligation bonds ataunbsp; luzumiyyah. Attachment to both the attachment requirement, such as the bond between the material and form. In her view, the body needs the soul is absolutely in actualization. As for the soul, the body needs in terms of the existence of personality and identity.

Therefore, Sadra concluded, body position just as receptive, recipient. Dependence exercises for the soul, he said, is the absolute dependence. This dependence will not disappear during life with him and there would be no, if the soul does not exist.


The story of Mulla Sadra

Mulla Sadra was born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1571 AD. In 1591, he moved to Qazvin and then to Isfahan in 1597. This is done in order to study in the field of philosophy and theology. He had many teachers, among them the Mir Damad.

Sadra completing his education at Isfahan, which is intellectual and cultural center at that time termuka. Some time later, he produced a series of works. Among adalahnbsp; Asfar ataunbsp; Travel.

The work contains much of his philosophy which was influenced by his own during his retreat in Kahak, a village near Qom, Iran. He was later transformed into a philosopher who has brilliant ideas.

Sadra was able to absorb the thoughts of famous philosophers, then mengelaborasinya. He studied Ibn Sina's philosophical thinking, the philosophy of illumination carried Shihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi and Sufi metaphysics made by Ibn Arabi.

After a long leave his hometown, a governor of the province of Fars Sadra asked to return to Shiraz. He also fulfill the request. He was asked to megajar. Later, he taught his knowledge to many students.

However, the last period of his life, was not destined Sadra in Shiraz. Citing lamannbsp; muslimphilosophy, dying when he was in Basra, Iraq. He was then buried in Najaf. He breathed his last while on his way to Mecca for pilgrimage.