چكيده لاتين
This study explores the profound impact of Neoplatonic thought and Negative theology on the Isfahan School of Philosophy during the Safavid era. Neoplatonic philosophy, particularly mediated through the text Theologia Aristotelis, a work historically misattributed to Aristotle, was introduced into the Islamic intellectual tradition and exerted an undeniable influence on the thought and works of prominent philosophers of this school. This text, a free Arabic adaptation of Plotinus’s Enneads, elaborates on concepts such as the unity of existence (wahdat al-wujud), the theory of emanation, and the absolute transcendence of the Divine, framing these ideas within a philosophical-mystical context that facilitated the expansion of apophatic theology among Muslim thinkers.
Apophatic theology, rooted in Neoplatonic thought, emphasizes the negation of any affirmative attributes or analogies between the Creator and creation. According to this view, knowledge of the Divine essence is only achievable through negative predicates, as God transcends all conceptual, linguistic, and existential limitations, rendering ordinary human language incapable of describing Him. These two intellectual currents are extensively reflected in the works of the philosophers of the Isfahan School and became fundamental principles in their metaphysical inquiries.
This research investigates the various dimensions of Neoplatonic thought and apophatic theology in specific philosophical discussions through the lens of three prominent figures of the Isfahan School: Mir Damad, Mir Fendereski, and Molla Rajab-Ali Tabrizi. The findings reveal that these doctrines not only fortified the philosophical foundations of this school but also fostered an active exchange of ideas and the expansion of theoretical debates among Isfahan’s philosophers. The efforts of each philosopher to reconcile and harmonize Neoplatonic themes with Islamic and Shi‘a principles resulted in the emergence of a creative and innovative perspective within Islamic philosophy, often referred to as Shi‘a spiritual wisdom (hikmat-e ma‘navi-ye Shi‘a).
