Philosophical and Mystical Approaches to the ‘Dialogue of
Civilizations’
By: V. Ahmadi
Abstract
In this article, I discuss the
importance of man as the most sublime creation whose uniqueness
leads to the formation and cultivation of civilizations. One hopes
that this discussion will constitute a modest contribution toward
the success of the ‘dialogue of civilizations’. The article
focuses on man’s ability to speak, or the logos that
manifests itself thereof, and of the motif and theme of the
Perfect Man that is critical in Islamic mysticism. Speech is a
manifestation of wisdom and love. Man is a responsible creature,
as a result of his possessing love and wisdom, and for this reason
he is a being that deserves to be connected with God, the source
of Being. Religion is the most powerful source that draws man to
philosophy and mysticism. Philosophy, using the concept of
dialectics and dialogue as its result, and drawing upon the
concepts of ‘unity in diversity’ and ‘diversity in unity’, makes
an attempt to reconcile the contradictions within the life of man
so that he may achieve perfection. Mysticism, with the unity of
being as its central principle, reconciles the contradictions of
man’s life by initiating a friendly dialogue and inspiring man
with a movement inspired by love.
______________________
History repeatedly points to the painful fact that the two parts
of the world, East and West, have always been in contact with and
influenced each other as a result of wars and the consequences of
wars. Are civilizations to be judged merely in terms of their
ability to bring mass destruction upon its rivals? Is war the only
way, the ultimate way? Must one act as a mere onlooker as history
takes its ‘inevitable’ course? May one not believe that this
course may be wondrously altered? Is there no choice but to
surrender to the wheels of the chariot of history’s pitiless gods?
Must one watch helplessly wars, conflicts and blood shedding and
allow man, the supreme and intellectually most powerful creature,
to be a spectator in the midst of this tumult?
What
helps man to find the courage and daring to believe that he can
sculpt history into a different shape is his dynamic nature and
creative mind, a mind whose best attributes are its faculties of
reason or speech. Speech, a strange and thought-provoking
attribute, is often taken for granted. Speech is not the mere use
of words, but a language that is inspired by thought and
reasoning. We all know that natural scientists, philosophers and
mystics believe that, besides man, all beings produce voices of
their own. But these voices are different from speech, which in
fact is the most sublime form of sound and unique to human beings.
The Holy Qur’an testifies that ‘Nothing exists unless it hymns
His praise,’1 but man is a different account. The
value of speech from a religious point of view is worth
considering, and references to language and speech in the Bible
and the Holy Qur’an are testimony to the importance of this
matter. Essentially, creativity is a result of God’s utterance of
words. ‘Be! And it is!’ ‘God spoke and the universe appeared,’
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God.’
2 All these point to the importance of speech in human
culture and religious thought.
The
world in which we live, think and engage in various creative
activities is a complex combination of contradictory phenomena and
conflicts. It is these conflicting phenomena that form the basis
of man’s knowledge of himself and others, and of the mysterious
phenomena surrounding him, instilling in him a dynamic and
continual urge to know. Man, whose greatest attributes are
thoughtfulness, rationality and creative speech, has continually
been investigating, learning about, criticizing and even taking
advantage of these conflicts in order to improve his lot.3
Man has also invented dialectics for this purpose.
Dialectics is, according to Hegel, in spite of being a struggle
between opposites, not a way of marking time but a means of
surpassing and reaching perfection, a surpassing that includes
criticism and profound thought. 4 Thus thought and
speech are two human activities that are closely intertwined. That
is, perhaps, why certain schools of Islamic thought such as the
Ash‘arites and Ikhwan al-Safa’
(the Brethren of Purity) believed in al-kalam al-nafsi, or
‘speech of the self’.5 This is a variant upon the
connection between the human mind and speech held by thinkers
since Plato and well expressed in the sentence, ‘thinking is a
silent way of speaking’. 6 Hegel considered dialectics
the reconciliation of conflicts in the existence of objects and
also in the human mind, and in the writer’s opinion, in human
actions and behavior, since the mind has considerable
influence on human behavior.
Such
a dialogue is the striving for excellence, borne of the
perfectionism inherent in human thought, a perfectionism which
seeks the best from among the multitude of conflicting differences
and variations, one that would answer the call of his nature for
the absolute good. This is a transcendental quest that inspires
not only man’s mind and speech, but also his subtlest actions. Man
owes this to his intellect and creative spirit, and it is this
attribute that makes him worthy of aspiring to the source of
revelation and godliness, an aspiration splendidly embodied in
different ways in religions throughout history. By asking the most
fundamental epistemological and truth-seeking questions, religion
itself is the first phenomenon that has conjoined the conflicting
opposites of terrestrial and celestial existence in the labyrinth
of plurality and differences. God has challenged man to the most
magnificent dialectic of his existence, a dialectic inspiring
life’s most dynamic dialogue to a wondrous leap forward. It is for
this reason that prophets begin their message with the word
‘speak,’ a two-ided speaking that involves man’s intellect through
logic and reasoning.
By presenting a picture of plurality and conflicts, conflicts
that can hardly tolerate one another, religion has invited man to
a great intellectual-practical round-table discussion. This is
only possible because he possesses these splendid attributes, and
he is challenged to use all his talents and abilities to find the
right means for a logical reconciliation of these conflicts.
Religion urges man to think right, see right and act right in his
search for the ultimate unity of existence because dialectics, and
its supreme result, logical dialogue, requires critical and
meticulous investigation in this search, which teaches man to live
life courageously as a challenge. Religion teaches man the ability
to engage in a creative and effective dialogue. Man must first
know himself in order to improve the life of other creatures and
himself, and to look at himself and the world at his service with
insight.
Religion is the reality that leads man to wander in the
universe and ask the ultimate question of existence through the
dialectics arising out of his innate nature. It enables man to
achieve a reconciliation of all the conflicting plurality so that
he can realize the unity, which is the fundamental essence of
being and the truth of existence. The great instrument of this
dialogue is man’s intellect and nature. It is for this reason that
sociologists and anthropologists believe that the word ‘intellect’
is derived from the same root as that of religion, from religio,
meaning connection. 7 In fact, intellect and religion
are two very important
processes that conjoin man with truth. Even a brief review of
the history of religion will reveal that prophets of God chose
dialogues and logical argument as the first and foremost method of
spreading their message.
By explaining their message, they tried to achieve a wise and
at the same time kindly understanding, and such verses as ‘speak
softly’, and ‘discuss things with them in the politest manner’
prove this important point. In fact, prophets were among the
people who promised peace and amity through godly thought and
guidance. Their greatest mission has been to make man face the
secrets and mysteries of religion, and to awaken their innate
nature through a dialogue. This is a dialogue between the Supreme
Being, God, and the most intellectual creature, man, so that he
may attain truth by understanding the conflicts of reality. In
spite of wars, man ultimately desires peace, amity, love and
rational and enlightening dialogue, for this is his innate nature.
But religion’s most prominent aspect is its mystery. Yet at
the same time, it compels man, through history, into making
dialogue, to be ceaselessly exploring and searching through this
mystery. The gratification of discovering a hidden truth through
thought and self-knowledge has led man to an awakening and a new
interpretation of being. If we accept that the word deen,
religion, is derived from the Sanskrit word daena, meaning
‘spiritual awareness’ and ‘conscience’, we realize more fully how
religion is life’s greatest invitation to a dialogue in search of
the truth. It pursues a dialogue that appeals to the taste of
most, if not all, who inherently love knowledge and are open to
guidance.
Religion, whose function is to help man towards adjustment and
self-awareness in this multi-colored world of plurality, in order
to be in harmony with man’s needs for guidance, has been sent to
him in different ways and forms through history. W. Cantwell Smith
says.
The history of religion reveals that
God has spoken in different manners to people of different
religious cultures, providing them with guidance and the means of
salvation.
In my opinion, the existence of conflicts and plurality ensues
from the need for greater understanding, and there is no need for
concern or confusion.
By removing all mental contradictions and anxiety, religion
becomes the most beautiful way of looking at life and the only
right way of discussing the truth. Religion tells man of his
mission in life: to distinguish the superior reality from the
material world by passing through it and to accomplish this with
the power of his creative intellect. In this manner, religion
enables man to establish harmony and reconciliation between mind
and matter, heaven and earth, reality and truth, and thus improves
makes him worthy of being God’s image on earth. Offering such
teachings, the great religions have nourished millions of
followers and thinkers, establishing great civilizations that bear
witness to man’s glory.
In fact, civilizations provide man’s thoughtful responses to
the dialectic of religion and its logical dialogue. When exploring
a question, which requires analysis and discovery, man cultivates
his mind. Civilization is the manifestation of this mental
cultivation, which is made possible as a result of criticism and
peaceful and constructive methods. All religions condemn the use
of any violent method to challenge the opposition.
Man has experienced two valuable approaches to cultivate his
mind within his long historical existence: philosophical and
mystic. While some consider the two approaches as distinct, they
are, surprisingly, not so distinct. Rather, whenever man has used
one approach at the cost of the other, he has deprived himself of
the pleasure of attaining the truth. In fact, philosophy and
mysticism are two different readings of religion, one
intellectual, the other artistic, both aspiring to the evolution
of mankind through logic and compassion.
We may not speak of philosophical traditions and mystic
experience without first considering religious teachings and
beliefs. The study of religion is the study of man and the
mysteries of his wonderful life. The future global civilization
will depend on qualities and the final truth, and this will not be
achieved without familiarity with forms and diversities,
dialectics and, consequently, logical dialogue and unity of being
(wahdat al-wujhd). The colloquy based upon compassion, with
the help of philosophy and mysticism, paves the way for attaining
this sublime goal. Within the context of philosophy and mysticism,
geographical borders, cultural, linguistic and racial differences,
different living conditions and social and economic situations,
all these educate man, far from destroying his creative mind.
Divine religions, having these sublime characteristics, have
never imposed themselves on human beings. Rather, they have
constantly asked novel and mysterious questions which have aroused
man’s God-seeking nature, inspiring him with a philosophical and
at the same time amorous quest. Religion aims at man’s love and
intellect and man tries to answer the questions that arise,
drawing on his mystic and philosophical faculties. Indeed,
religion provides the most logical dialogue throughout man’s
history, inviting all thinkers and great civilizations to a mutual
dialogue with the purpose of attaining truth and peaceful
coexistence. This is a valuable goal, which has long been
neglected in this world of values and anti-values, subdued to the
desires of certain ignoble individuals. Religion teaches man how
he may attain this goal by finding logical answers to questions
about existence as well as understanding his position within the
world of existence and participating in a global and friendly
discourse.
Religion and two other valuable disciplines, philosophy and
mysticism which derive from it, provide man with inexhaustible
power to attain the pure source of existence and to challenge the lower (carnal) self. The desire to attain the source
of existence is compatible with man’s nature, and man has been
gifted with such a passion that he fears nothing in his quest.
This can be the foundation of a unique universal civilization to
which man has been looking forward impatiently, even though man
today has forgotten his true position in the world of existence.
In spite of all love and logic and reason, in spite of the fact
that he is expected to act as the image of God on the earth, man
commits all kinds of crime.8 Man, though experiencing
great civilizations in history, and in spite of his recognition
that he can attain immortality by returning to his very nature, is
now surrendered to a world of diversities and contradictions.
Lacking sufficient knowledge, he has taken this world as the
ultimate destination, and created wars and bloodshed. Man, in
other words, has disregarded the unified nature of existence, and
all these wars and differences are due to his narrow-mindedness.
The truth is that religion, reason and emotion, which are
manifested as religious knowledge, philosophy and mysticism,
invite man to reasonable thinking based on understanding and love.
They give man the courage to criticize and struggle, both of which
are essential to creativity in thought and in practice. Using
these valuable gifts of nature, man creates civilizations.
Civilizations are not the products of wars; they are the results
of thinking, love and tolerance. Man begins to build a
civilization when he tries to show others that he has a more
creative mind, and ideal-seeking spirit and delicate emotions.
Civilizations, in fact, are manifestations of man’s reasonable and
compassionate perfectionism.
As an approach toward perfection, mysticism asks questions
about the why of existence and man’s ultimate purpose, thus
inducing the human mind to seek knowledge and explore truth. Like
philosophy, mysticism, by offering the theory of the unity of
being and God’s permanent casting of light over creation,
establishes a relationship between the creator and the created
like that between a source of light and the rays it emits. It
inspires the truth seeker to embark amorously on the Way. As the
rays of light reflected from a source of light wish to join the
source, so does the traveler seek to return to his origin. The
unity of being holds that there is only one truth and this is the
source of all existence, and the whole of existence is a
manifestation of the One Being (al-wujud al-wahid al-haqq).
He is the absolute truth and existence and perfection depends on
attaining Him and being with Him. The mystic considers existence
as a unity, even though it is so diverse.
These diversities, to the mystic, are artistic manifestations
of a unique existence. For this reason, the aspiration to light is
the central aim in mysticism. Light symbolizes knowledge, as many
scholars maintain, but this knowledge is different from all other
kinds of knowledge.9
Attaining this knowledge, man can mystically reconcile his
outward and inward contradictions. This is the call of his divine
nature, the same path that Lao Tzu calls Tao, believing that
anyone keeps along the natural track, or the way of nature, as the
Qur’an states, will attain truth.10 In this context,
the amorous dialogue which mysticism holds between man, his nature
and God is very important. This dialogue is the story of man’s
attaining consciousness and a real and permanent existence by
knowing various manifestations of existence and diversities. But
under what conditions is it possible to attain this knowledge?
Mysticism invites the traveler to a practical dialectic and a
discourse of friendship and agreement, which leads to unity in the
world of existence. Participating in this dialogue are two
apparently contradictory aspects of man’s existence: love and
reason, logic and compassion. In fact, the logic of mysticism is
the logic of love, and it is a quest and motion for attaining the
best. The evidence for this logic is derived from man’s spirit,
kindling in him the fire of joining light, so that man is filled
with the passion to know, to seek and to experience true pleasure.
For mysticism considers love and motion as the substance of
existence.11
Mysticism acknowledges the differences and contradictions as
it maintains that it is these very differences and contradictions
that make it possible for man to attain knowledge and the pleasure
of seeking truth. To attain unity, one has to go beyond
diversities. True mysticism respects the supreme position of man
as image of God on earth, a principle that must be taken into
consideration in the foundation of the world future civilization
as well as in social relations. It is a principle that religion
and philosophical systems have confirmed, defining man not as
self-centered, arrogant, and whimsical but as humble, God-seeking,
thoughtful, and reasonable.
Mysticism teaches man that the diversities in the world of
existence are abundant, but that they are all rays reflected from
the light of truth. Monotheistic belief that ‘there is no god but
God’ is not exclusive to Muslims. Followers of all religions also
hold this conviction, which, in mysticism, is reflected as a
unity. A person believing in this unity seeks one thing only:
unity with the never-dying source of existence, or logos,
the word that the ancient Christians used. Logos, or the
‘Perfect Man’ in Islamic mysticism, is a man who, based on his
unitary belief, considers no credibility for diversities and
contradictions.12 These contradictions, to him, are
only tools of knowledge, not agents of pride and oppression. He
views God as the firm foundation of existence to whom everything
returns and to whom everything belongs. Such a man will have the
tolerance necessary for accepting truth in all its manifestations.
He has observed the diversities; he has lived with them, and has
himself turned into an existence of diversity without being
surrendered to them. It is extremely difficult to be committed to
certain people and to judge them justly at the same time.
It is extremely difficult to be wise and to love. The Perfect
Man is a blend of contrasts, and this is his greatest achievement
in his quest for unity. 13 The opposite of the perfect
man is a narrow-minded dogmatist, one that has always been
condemned by religion, mysticism and philosophy. In fact,
mysticism aims at producing a thoughtful, logical, tolerant and
compassionate person, and this is the most beautiful dialectic in
the history of existence, drawing man from his inward and outward
contractions to the realm of peace and
understanding.
Mysticism considers man as the supreme manifestation of the
divine word or logos.14 Mysticism too aims at
deifying man, so that man, having divine attributes finds life
with all its pains and sorrows tolerable and becomes aware of his
responsibility. Man is thus freed from ignorance and negligence
and embarks, like a prophet, on a daring struggle whose main aim
is to subdue the lower self and be kind to other fellow human
beings in spite of the fact that he is aware of their wickedness
or unkindness. It is for this reason that God says that tolerance
is among the most important attributes of all prophets. Prophets
were human beings who, living among negligence and diversity,
nonetheless had the courage and knowledge to seek unity and invite
others to do so thoughtfully and amorously.
If we look at nature and at wildlife, we realize that all
animals move toward perfection. This is made possible by inner
guidance. But this perfection depends on the principle of the
‘survival of the fittest’. But can this be a guiding principle in
man’s life as well? Is being physically alive the ultimate purpose
of man’s life or is there a more sublime purpose? Man’s dignity is
so sublime that he should not give up all thinking and love,
resorting to struggle as the only means of survival. Although
various groups and individuals have expressed different opinions
about the means to achieve peace and understanding, this diversity
itself should not lead to wars. Diversities of any kind should
never be a justification for any struggle. In fact, this diversity
of religions, mystics and philosophical schools are an ornament of
the world of existence, which otherwise would have been plain and
dull.
We now present a philosophical approach to the question of the
dialogue of civilizations. In Hegel’s view, dialectics is the
result of thought conforming to the evolution of the being. In
fact the Absolute Idea moves towards internal perfection; that is,
it negates itself to return to the self and by enrichment through
this conflict attains its perfect state. Unlike Plato’s dualistic
and imperfect dialectics, Hegel’s is ternary and consequently
perfect. Every definition refers to its opposite and finally is
transformed in another conflict. In an indirect and general sense,
dialectics is the progress of the mind from the present to a
better point in order to reach an enriched state. In other words,
dialectics and its greatest result, dialogue, is argument and
thought in search of a better choice and progress towards a better
being. Dialectics is a dynamic movement that enables man to
recognise and reconcile conflicts and to seek the one truth not
through wars but through logical, peaceful and epistemological
dialogue. That is why dialectics has been translated into Persian
as ‘journeying of the mind’, which is the conscious and critical
progress towards the truth. This is how dialectics, born of
logos or logic, employs dialogue, which is critical and wise
speech, in order to realize among the mass of conflicts, which are
sometimes is harmony and sometimes in strife, the value of
transcendental spirit.
Philosophical dialectic and the perfect man, both of which
emphasize attaining the knowledge of contradictions and
diversities by uniting with the real source of existence, teach
man that unity is the ultimate purpose of existence. Thus they
encourage him to tolerate the difficulties and frustrations,
preparing him for a daring struggle against the lower self. They
shatter man’s arrogance so that he will find the desire to know.
Mull¡ ¯adr¡ Sh¢r¡z¢ (d. 1641) states in his valuable Four
Journeys (al-Asfar al-Arba‘a):
Contradictory attributes like
blackness and whiteness, bitterness and sweetness, pain and
pleasure may not combine in a single entity due to its capacity
limitations. But man’s nature, while being a unitary entity, is a
blend of contradictions and the more man moves away from
materialism, the better he is able to combine contradictions.15
Philosophy, too, presenting dialogue, which is manifested
through the dialectic, provides man with the knowledge, which
gives him tolerance and thoroughness. The diversities in the world
are like colors of the rainbow broken up by a prism. As the Sufi
poet J¡m¢ (d. 1492) states:
Creatures are like various
pieces of glass
On which fall the rays of the sun of existence.
Every piece of glass, red, yellow, or dark,Reflected the sun in
the same color it was.
All scholars investigating pluralism are of the opinion that
philosophy is the product of the diversity of religions, which are
pluralistic as well. A civilization, which is based on such a
thought, must manifest itself in various forms, sometimes in the
form of the civilizations of Iran and Egypt, sometimes in the form
of the civilization of India and China, and sometimes in the form
of the civilizations of Greece and Rome. But the truth behind all
this is man’s unique power to live better depending on logical
dialogues and friendly colloquies. Philosophy teaches man to
think. Dialectics, in fact, aim at reconciling colorful and
deceptive contrast. It is the story of passing through diversity
to reach unity, the story of the ascension of travelers who find
the world a collection of the manifestations of a unique truth,
one calling Him God, one World Spirit, one Nirvana, one Ahura
Mazda, one Dainichi Nyorai. It is not important how you reach this
destination. What is important is the very act of reaching. Great
civilizations have drunk out of the same fountain. Religions are
diverse. There are various mystic and philosophical schools. But
all this cannot justify the superiority of one group over another,
and should provide no justification for transgression. This is the
law of existence, and it must be like that.
The art of an artist lies in his deployment of an array of
colors. If he were to use one color only, he would not be able to
claim that he is an artist. Different civilizations were born and
thrived in various geographical areas. For various historical
reasons and geographical barriers, they could not have developed
under the same conditions. According to the Qur’an, the difference
in colors, languages and thoughts provide a means to
knowing better.16 Thus all the diversity in whatever
area is the product of the experience of various groups of people
under various conditions.
In
other words, the differences of opinion and outlook result from
various social, geographical and cultural conditions, which have
formed experience. It is for this reason that differences and
plurality would not only prevent destructive rivalry among human
beings but must help man draw a more perfect picture of truth.
Just because a Jew calls God Yahweh, a Christian calls God Father,
and Muslim Allah, does not mean that one religion is superior to
another. Philosophy asks man to be tolerant, so that he can bear
contrasts and even unkindness, and can himself turn into a
set of contrasts. It is the only way he can attain a truth more
profound than what he hears and sees. Philosophy teaches tolerance
through logical dialogues. The approach that philosophy presents
leads to the unique future civilization, a civilization in which
men do not fight for survival, but use all their knowledge, which
is the shared heritage of all human beings, to live a life which
human beings deserve to live. This is going to be a human
existence in the true sense of the word; enjoying a dynamic
intellect and a heart, which has experienced spirituality and
faith so that it can go beyond the confines of plurality and
repetition, presenting a unitary existence while reflecting
contrasts.
All in all, one may say that since civilizations are the products
of man’s creative efforts in the realms of religion, thinking and
love, they are proof of his being a human being. By finding common
factors, which have influenced the reason and emotions of man,
regardless of his religion, nationality, language and race, and
depending on man’s God-seeking nature in spite of all evident
differences and apparent contradictions,
enmities will turn to friendships through dialogues.
Differences will turn to means for attaining perfection and
understanding. Within this context, each civilization, while
maintaining its own identity, may derive benefit from the
qualities and insights of other civilizations. As they say, truth
may be found everywhere, sometimes under a fig tree, sometimes in
the mirror of a spring, sometimes on the summit of a mountain,
sometimes inside a dark cave. To find the truth, you must have the
desire to know it.
The man that religion portrays as perfect is humble, kind and
God-seeking, a combination of contrasts. If man acts based on the
supreme example that religion, and consequently genuine
philosophical and mystical schools present, he will no doubt have
a better life than he has now. Modern man has taken advantage of
the contradictions and diversities to create brutish wars. What
man is meant to achieve is revolutionize within, move away from
anthropocentrism toward theocentrism. The man who realizes his
real status within existence and makes all efforts to attain truth
in a mystical and philosophical spirit, he is the real winner.
Although knowing is accompanied with suffering, but depending on
understanding one may tolerate all suffering and make a bright
future. Every civilization, while different from any other,
provides a reliable course through which man may realize his
ideals. The desire for ideals has sometimes manifested in the
west, sometimes in the east, sometimes in Islam, sometimes in
Judaism, sometimes in Christianity, sometimes in Buddhism.
Platonism, Neo-Platonism, existentialism, hermeneutics,
fundamentalism, each has in turn entered the discussion in man's
historical and intellectual dialogue. What is important is that
all these approaches lead to the same truth: they are all seeking
the same truth under whose shadow man will have a better life, a
truth man has always found it his mission to seek.
Conclusion
That modern man is not able to create great civilizations is
because he has forgotten his true status in creation; he has
forgotten what valuable means he has in his power to attain
perfection, what his destination is, how to think, how to speak,
how to love. His reason and logic and love have been subject to
deception and evil, and his life no longer smells of love and
faith. God seems to have left the dark world he has made for
himself. The man who does not know the way or the destination, who
has no provisions, is so lost that he is not able to create
anything, as did his creative predecessors. History seems to have
come to its end for him. Turning on the glorious pages of history,
he does not find anything of value. All he sees is wars, and the
violation of human rights. Contrasts are agents of hostility, not
of knowledge and compassion. Knowledge has been replaced with
ignorance and prejudice and ‘being a human being’ has found a
mythological and unattainable meaning, which is only to be found
in children's bedtime stories.
The world, which was meant to be a means for man’s spiritual
perfection and advancement, has turned into the burial-place of
spirituality. Divine prophets, great civilizations, great mystics
and philosophers have kept borrowing from each other; not only
have they not been at war with one another, but have brought
messages of love and understanding. They have experienced
tolerance and reasoning and have always urged man to take one step
forward. The most crucial need of the human beings in the 21st
century is a civilization based on faith. In a comprehensive
dialectic, man has taken a critical attitude toward his life and
the world around him, has critically surveyed love and intellect,
and has found the courage to participate in the greatest round
table in history. He should thus be prepared to provide answers to
the vital and basic questions, to start a new era of enlightenment
in history by giving an end to the era of ignorance. The modern
era is the era of learning and teaching, the era where man is
thirsty for faith, a faith that will free him from the sorrows of
life and the futility of routines. To start this era, man should
know the real status of mankind, that he may not attain knowledge
of his true being without faith and honesty. He should return to
his very own nature, which is the manifestation of that mysticism
and philosophy founded by the dialectic of religion and its grand
dialogue. This dialectic language is the language of this very
dynamic nature by which man ascends to its supreme status. It is
for these reasons that prophets are human beings too.
It is possible to be a human being today and live a
prophet-like life. Prophets assign prophecy as a mission to every
thinking free individual. It requires an artistic struggle, a
revolutionary understanding that urges man to perfection. Is it
not the very thing that the modern man is seeking? The feeling of
being a prophet and having burdened with a mission will bring
about a major change in the modern man’s attitude. We must know
that paganism is not a name for a specific period in history. We
cannot say that it is over now. Today, we witness modern paganism
in a very deceptive and oppressive guise. Today we ought to know
it and bravely fight it in all its guises.
Prophets, who are human beings, should, based on faith, love
and thinking, make a universal civilization, and realize the
promise of religion, which is the ultimate goal of history. This
is man’s conscious attempt to attain perfection as portrayed by
religion. What is important is that regardless of our views of
religion, philosophy, mysticism and the civilizations based on
them, they all share an idea, and that is the link between God and
man for attaining perfection and the truth of existence. The
logical dialogue and intellectual colloquy give the human
civilizations the possibility to know the contradictions free from
enmity and experience a happy and exalted life. To do this, they
will have to rely on their sense of criticism and their compassion
for fellow human beings. This is man’s course of action in the
future for establishing a universal civilization in the shadow of
logic, love and understanding. In spite of all shortcomings,
modern man knows well that the caravan of human civilization will
lead nowhere if deviated from this course. We must therefore try
our best to present happiness and prosperity to the future as a
gift. The following story from Jalal al-Din Rumi (d. 1274)
represents both philosophical and mystic thoughts in a nice
manner:
The Hindus had placed an elephant
In a room as dark as could be.
Many people came to feel it,
For they were full of curiosity.
The hand of one fell on its trunk,
"It’s like a water pipe," said he.
Another’s hand fell on its ear,
"No, it is a fan, most definitely."
The third one cried: "It’s a
pillar."
Handling the foot up to the knee.
Said the fourth, patting its back,
"It’s a throne, I must disagree!"
Each described the part he touched
For the whole, no one could see.
If each were to hold a candle,
They surely would come to agree.17
Notes:
1-Qur’an 17: 44.
2-Qur’an 16: 40;
Genesis 1: 1.
3-Cf. Mulla Sadra
Shir¡zi, al-hakma al-muta‘aliya fi l-asf¡r al-‘aqliyya al-arba‘a,
eds. R. Lu§fi et al, Beirut: D¡r itya’ al-tur¡th al-‘arabi
1981, vol. IX, p. 79.
4-Cf. C. Taylor,
Hegel, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1975.
5-s.v.
Ash‘arites and Mu‘tazilites in the Routledge Encyclopaedia
of Philosophy, gen. ed. E. Craig, London: Routledge 1998.
6-Cf. T. Irwin,
Classical thought, Oxford: Oxford University Press 1996, pp.
98-101.
7-At least, this
is true of the Arabic ‘aql.
8-Since man in the
Abrahamic faiths is created in God’s image and is His vicegerent
on earth.
9-On light
mysticism in Islam, see A. Schimmel, Mystical dimensions of
Islam, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press 1975,
inter alia pp. 259-63.
10-Cf. T. Izutsu,
Sufism and Taoism, Berkeley: University of California Press
1986; S. Murata, The Tao of Islam, Albany: State University
of New York Press 1992, pp. 6-17.
11-Cf. Schimmel,
Mystical dimensions of Islam, pp. 130-41.
12-Cf. Reynold A.
Nicholson, Studies in Islamic mysticism, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press 1928; Schimmel, Mystical dimensions
of Islam, pp. 280-2.
13-Cf. Mulla Sadra
Shirazi, al-Asf¡r al-arba‘a, vol. VII, pp. 181-3, vol.
VIII, p. 140.
14-Cf. Mulla
Sadra Shirazi, al-Asfar al-arba‘a, vol. VII, p. 20.
15-Mulla Sadra
Shirazi, al-Asfar al-arba‘a, vol. VII, p. 74; cf. vol. VII,
p. 70, vol. IX, pp. 90-105.
16-Qur’an 49: 13.
17-This is a
famous Buddhist parable recounted by the great Persian Sufi poet
in his Mathnawi.
