Philosophy of Religion Research
Some Novel Ideas of Hakim Rafi'i Qazvini
Editorial
Author
Assistant Professor at Department of Philosophy, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
Abstract
Among the works of Hakim Rafi'i Qazvini, just few books have surviued. However, these few embrace certain novel ideas. The present article deals with the following five innovations by this divine philosopher and mystic:
1. Regarding the meaning of divine perfection in the light of divine beauty (Jamal) and majesty (Jalal), Hakim Rafi'i does not consider it, opposing the dominant view, a combination of the above two. Rather, he counts it a fact beyond divine beauty and majesty consisting of the integrity of divine essence, i.e. the sameness of the essence and attributes along with the identity of each attribute with another.
Under the same topic Hakim Rafi'i Qazvini gives a definition of beauty and majesty combining that of philosophers and maystics. Thus, the definition has a touch of innovation.
2. Commenting on the supplication phrase "Allahumma inni Asaluka bima Tujibuni bihi Hina Asaluk", i.e. O Allah! verily I ask you that by which you are going to answer me when asking you”, Hakim Rafi'i presents a meaning – other than the common one – which implies his curious and initiative mind.
3. Concerning the negation of composition from divine essence and the fact that composition, whatsoever, requires possibility, Hakim Rafi'i presents an argument asserting that, “what we mentioned here is not written or found in any book.”
4. Commenting on the philosophers' quotation, “Influnce of one body on another requires position (wad) and parallelism (muhadhat), he considers these two as a type of union and link.
5. Criticizing the well- known citation, “will (Iradah) is different from desire (shahwah).’’ Thus man may sometimes will something not desired by him, and on other occasions, he may desire something not willed by him.
Keywords
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