Ali Karimiyan Seyghalani
Abstract
The Science of the Soul (ʿIlm al-Nafs) of Ṣadrian philosophical viewpoint, when inspired by Quranic verses and narrations, has opened different horizons for researchers in the field ...
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The Science of the Soul (ʿIlm al-Nafs) of Ṣadrian philosophical viewpoint, when inspired by Quranic verses and narrations, has opened different horizons for researchers in the field of the soul. One of these is deciphering the five verses concerning the infusion of spirit (nafkh al-rūḥ) in the arc of descent (qaws al-nuzūl). The aim of this article is to analyze Mulla Ṣadra's opinions on this matter, and it seeks to answer these questions: Is the usage of " blowing (breathing) of spirit" in these verses, literal or metaphorical? Also, what type of relation (iḍāfah) does he consider the attribution of spirit to God to be? Is the blowing of spirit in the arc of descent exclusive to humans, or is it non-exclusive and includes other beings as well? The findings of this article, prepared using the content analysis method with direct reference to Mulla Ṣadra's works, indicate that he considers the usage of "blowing" (nafkh) in these verses to be metaphorical, meaning "the establishment of a relation of governance" (inshāʾ taʿalluq tadbīr) of the psychic dimension with the natural dimension of the macrocosmic human (insān-e kabīr) and indeed all beings possessing incomplete souls (nufūs-e nāqiṣah). However, he deems the attribution of spirit to God to be real and of the type of illuminative relation (ishrāqī) based on the process from unity to emanating multiplicity (siryānī), and not a categorical relation (maqūlī). Another point is that, based on intra-religious evidence for humans, he has posited two spirits and also two infusions in the arc of descent. Furthermore, Ṣadrā holds that God’s purpose in the nafkh is to complete the "complementary" (takmīlī) perfective process of souls, not the "consummative" (tatmīmī) process of humans.
