Ontology
in Shadra and Ibnu Arabi View
By Nano
Warno
Ontology is coming from the reality it self
in Fact, the discourse about existence in Islam is about the
most reality and concrete one. it was non abstract and transcendent issue alone,
it was also discussion about our live, daily live and all problematic which we
face every day. Therefore, it is not true a claim that islamic philosophy not
concern so much with reality as it is. Although it is need a deep reflection to
bring form metapysic realm to physic actifity. In this regard is not amazing if
ontology in islam especially in philosophy is cornerstone for Shadra
philosophical tradition.
Despite that, it is more interesting and amazing to talk
about this issue, wether if we speak in relating on Shadra and Ibnu Arabi view.
Both of prominent thinker may be suppoused or assumed as a snow mountain which
undiscovered of all their element of thought. And evidently Shadra and Ibnu
Arabi
keen to talking about existence (wujud).
In history Peripatetic and illuminativ and Ibnu Arabi
perspective have form Shadra thought. albeit, he is independen and have
autonomous field of philosophy. So any one who like to understand hikmah
muta’liyah (trascendetal philosophy) should to be familiar with his predesecor
such Ibnu Sina, Syuhrawardi and Ibnu arabi. last but not least it will be
suggest to read more carrefully Ibnu Sina treatise, and for information Ibnu
Sina acknowledged have make solution to 28.000 philosophical issues which can
not be handle by Aristotle which written in his lost book ‘al-Inshaf.’
In shadra terminology a term existence or wujud is
equivalent to reality. if we consider our body, our body exist in a room and a
room exist in building and building exist in world and world exist in his
existence. Any how despite being is self-evident or axiomatic proposition in
concept but in the reality (hakikat) is no easy to grasp.
As indicated below that existence Shadra as cornerstone
for his Hikmah Muta’liyah, however yes view of Shadra on being or existence a
precise and masterfull system based on the principle of primacy of existence
over quiddity. Mulla shadra utilizes this background to unite a rational
analytical thought with our direct experience of truht. as stated by Reza
Akbarian Modares that Shadra present this
unity in a clear , systematic manner to transform his own metaphysics from
Aristotelian
philosophy to a philosophy which is essentially non-Aristotelian .
In early, we should distinguish between the reality of
exsitence and the concept of existence, cause any one may enter to dispute and
misunderstanding about each of them.
Shadra himself said :
The issue of existence is the foundation of theosophical
and the groundwork for divine issues and tawhid (Allah’s oneness), eschatology
and the ressurection of the body and the soul and othe issues which i have
personally followed. and which prior to me, no one had dealt with . All of
these issues revolve around the reality of existence.
It was very obvious and undoubtedly, any one who like to study Shadra
philosophy
have to master more profoundly this term.
And the analysis of Mulla Shadra on the question of
existence differs from Ibnu Sina. because Ibnu Sina remained faihtful to
Aristotelian metaphysic whose primary and direct concern is the existence and
which consider existence as a secondary issue. and Ibnu Sina believed that
existence is a metaphysical element different from quiddity. And it should be
noted in relating discussing the basic principles of hikmat as understood and
expounded by Mulla Shadra, there are four topics in each of which Mulla Shadra
has departed from earlier philosophical perspectives and which form the
principles of his whole intellectual vision. these four themes are (1) being
and its degradation (2) substantial motion or the becoming and change of the
substance of the world (3) knowledge and the relation between knower and known
and (4) the soul,its faculties, generation, perfection and final resurrection .
Shadra believe that being is the same reality in all
realms of existence; it is a single reality but with gradation and degrees of
intensity. We may look at the light of sun, the light of lamp, the light of
candle all of the is light it self not something else. Same subject but with
different predicates, as just as we indicate in issue of being, the being of
God, of a man, of a tree, are all of being, or one reality but various
intensity.
And being no matter where it manifest it self appear
always with its attributes or armies (asakir) as they are traditionally called,
such as knowledge, will, power etc. A stone, because it exist, is a
manifestation of Being and, therefore has knowledge, will, power and
intelligence like men or angels.
According Dr Jonathan Dolhenty : We form the
general concept of being by looking at the things around us. They are things of
being. All things have a common element; they are existable. This means they
are either actually in existence or could be in existence (possible existence).
In this sense, Shadra in another point different form
this as he claim that concept being is self-evident we no need to looking
around us but by looking to our side (inside).
The next Shadra span it to gradation of being. Being with
his unique as mental concept is like etre, has, and is in other
language, but as external thing is similar to reality is self.
Ontology shadra really is not easy to grasp, need a
intellectual an spirituali capasity. But any how and any studen who like to
discover whole of horizone of his notion of being shoule be focus, do hard
study and be familiar with his background intellectuality and his predecessor.
Shadra elaborate his notion on being, in different angle,
aspect and real. So likewise in the beginning try to convince that a being in
concept or concept of being is self-evident, clear to anyone, no need
reflection and deep thinking and is not contrary that in level of haqiqat (the
truth, the real, extention,mishdaq) the similar issues was very dificult.
Futhemore we should aware such level. And mainly Mulla Shadra likewise any
other philosopher along with other philosopher utilize tools of mantiq, like :
mafhum
and misdaq (concept and extention), haml (atributte), hamli
syayi’ (predicat from concept to extention), jauhar and ardh (substantion
and non essential) and so on. Therefor, it is must be accepted that any studen
who love to study of Treatise Mulla Shadra should be familiar with this
technical term.
Relating to conception in islamic philosophy we must
distinguish first intelligible conception, scondary philosopical intelligible
and scondary logical intelligible. Such existens is realy a scondary
philosopical
intelligible.
After that, Shadra catch our attention to a equivocal and
univocal term, this is also no easy to understand.
So, with this principle is not easy to imagine and how powerful
his idea of ontology and as , since because the foundational of philosophic
science for all metaphysic thought is called ontology, however study of being
in its most general and widest aspects. And perhaps it was the core of his
idea.
So in Shadra view the term being itself is applied for
all of existence, in meaning not in word, this which call the univocal term.
This like shir in Persian language which can applied to
lion, onion, milk, and so on. In this aspect shadra try to undermine
world (lafz) rather than meaning. So meaning is likewise that being or
existence was universal (kulliy) that applied to his particular things.
And but any how according to his successor and learner such
distinguishting must be comprehend more accurately, because by this we
will fully understand the next his analyses. Indeed it represent the
basis of all metaphysical thought.
And Shadra also emphasize a series of any ideas outcome
from being, and with his respect such simplicity of being, property of being,
comprehension or connotation and denotation or extention.
Fortunately, there are many literature which can help us
to understanding Shadra philosophical easier wrote by modern Islamic scholar
such Alamah
Thabathabai, misbah yazdi, DR. Shirwani, DR. Mahdi Muhaqiq. DR. Fazlul
Rahman and the other thinkers. Even by virtue their books – which in addition
his technical term- bring us to discover whole of important things – which so
difficult to a beginners.
Being if we accept as his core of ides shadra.
Consequently we will find a basic formula for whole of his ideas and if not
so
Doctrine
of The Unity and gradation of Being in Ibnu Arabi and Mulla Shadra thought
Since last years ago, Mulla Shadra and Ibnu Arabi has
attrack me more than any other philospher and theosopher. I read what i search
in my own spiritual and philosopichal journey. In Shadra treatise, my
rationality develop increasingly and within Ibnu Arabi my intuition become
sharp trough in lowest degree. Futhermore I certain believe that study each of
them will gain more broader
vision about islamic knowledge in multilevel dimension.
In addition, comparative study Ibnu Arabi and Shadra may
not limitation on ontologi alone, there are some issue may drawn to be in this
case, such ‘awalim (alam-alam, cosmology), perfect man (insan kamil),
hermenetic and et cetera.
Ibnu Arabi hold that God as think him self, so in this
appereance He love to be known in this level called `ahadiyah` level, from
`ahadiyah` spread a `al-Wahidiyah`
and latter come ‘the Names` (Asma) and from The Names emerge permenen entity,
which after that produces a low manifestaion in creation levels. It must be
admiteed to analyse a manifestation (tajjali ) of Ibnu Arabi doctrin is not si
simple.
The
fundamental of Ibnu Arabi principle is being which is one or single reality and
gradation of plurality is names (asma), attribute (shifat) and action (af’al),
namely non essential things (umurun I’tibari) and his emanation of lord
(syi’aat faydh): Qaysari as Fushusul Hikam commentator said, for Ibnu Arabi,
wujud which qua being was not
universal (kully) and nor particular (juz’i), not general term (am) and
specific term (khas). All this term only for its manifestations
Wiliam Chitick in this regard said, Ibnu
al-Arabi is known as the founder of the
school of the Oneness of Being (wahdat al-wujud). Though he does not employ the
term. The idea permeates his works. Simply, stated, there is only one Being,
and all existence is nothing but the manifestation our outward radiance of that
One Being. Hence “everything” other than that One Being- that is, the whole
cosmos in all its spatial and temporal extension- is nonexistent in itself,
though it may be considered to exist through Being.
And DR
Utsman Yahya in his preface for Tajalliyah Ilahi said for ibnu Arabi
manifestations of being in
general is common for Hadzarat (His presentations) is three : (1) Tajalliyyat
hadzarat dzatiyah, (2) Tajaliyyat fi Hadzrat Sifatiyah and (3) Tajalliyyat
in Hadzrat Af’al.
The
first is entification of The Real (ta’ayunat Haq) for Himself, formless called
‘ahadiyat’. The scond his entification of The Real (ta’ayunnat haq) for Him
self but in perfect form of Names, which called ‘wahidiyah’ realm and The
third ta’ayunnat Haq (The Real entif
ication) by Him self form Himself in exsternal form, or The Real manifest in
real things
According
to Ibn arabi in ‘Fushus al-Hikam’ those manifestation occur in alam tasyri’I (
tasyri’ realm) not takwini which
embodied in Adam, Syits, Nuh, Musa and
so on. In other name ‘ahadiyat,’
‘wahidiyah,’ is ekspression for tajaliyat wujud
According
to Ibnu arabi whole of realm ‘malakuti’,
‘jabarrut’ and ‘nasut’ and mitsal was manifestation or theopany
of being this category mitsal is khiyal munfashil.
However,
it mus be acknowledged that language of Ibnu Arabi is not easy to understand.
His writing more times is so difficult, full of paradox expression, and full
of complicated remark, in his
eloquence style it show a kind of contradictory
each other and it was not problem
for student alone but also for the expert as well. Anyone who engage in this
field will admitted it.
Shadra
say that the reality
In
his Mabda wa Maad Mulla Shadra says :
And
being do not differ in their essence except in intensity and weakness,
perfection and imperfection, priority and posteriority. Being accidentally
differs because of those notions that are subordinate to them, i.e. their
different natures.
So in
Shadra being it may be a potentiality, actuality, matter, spiritual, and
similirary
to Ibnu Arabi being it may be ahadiyah maqam, wahidiyah maqam, Names
(asma), and Nature.
In
different way Ibnu Arabi begin to magnify God
and He is single being and alone which other take his emanation From
God, meanwhile Shadra start from existence but in have in common with different
angle. Shadra also stress on unique and absolute and most highly being or may
called first being and prima cause.
According
to what was said earlier, the difference among beings is the difference in
levels
and degrees of existence.
Reflection
on the reality of being leads to the conclusions that apart from self-necessary
being which itself is the reality of being and the peak of the hierarchy of
being,other levels of being have no reality other than belonging and relation
to self-necessary being. Any thing apart from the divine essence is nothing
other than relational and belonging to Him.
In
summary Shadra and ibnu Arabi talking about being with different angle,
perspective and analysis. Different
background and starting point in consequently make influence to their approach.
It was interesting although Shadra was disciple of Ibnu Arabi but in he had
develop his thought at certain in sense might be a skeletal bone of Ibnu Arabi
Mystic Philosophy. Ibnu arabi expression
is rather speculation style mixed with rational elaboration but not so deep in
this regard Shadra came to fill this gap. Being in Ibnu Arabi writing is
another label for God Himself except in levels
and since beginning with believing that non reality is nothing to
compare with God.
Reference :
1. an Article from History of Muslim philosophy
2. Paper of Reza Akbarian on existence of Mulla Shadra
3. Bidayah and Nihayah al-Hikmah by Alamah Thabathabai
4. Tamhidul hikmah by DR Ali Syirawani
5. Ishtilahat Mulla Shadra
6. Fushus al-Hikamm by Ibnu Arabi
7. Syarh Fushusul Hikam, Qaysari
8. Sufi Path by Wiliam Chitich
9. Sufy Heritage, a collection of sufi
writing
lihat juga 68n86.wordpress.com
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