Al-Hikma Al-Muta'aliyah fi-l-Asfar al-'Aqliyya al-Arba'a (The Transcendent Philosophy of the Four Journeys of the Intellect)

Al-Hikma Al-Muta'aliyah is a philosophical text written by Persian philosopher Mulla Sadra in the 17th century. The work spans four volumes and represents the culmination of Islamic philosophical thought, combining elements of peripatetic philosophy, illuminationism, and mysticism. The text follows the structure of four spiritual-intellectual journeys that mirror the soul's progression toward divine truth. Each journey examines different aspects of existence, reality, and knowledge through both rational argumentation and mystical insight. The book incorporates and responds to the works of previous Islamic philosophers including Avicenna, Suhrawardi, and Ibn Arabi. It introduces several original philosophical concepts, particularly Sadra's theory of substantial motion and the primacy of existence over essence. This expansive work stands as a synthesis of multiple Islamic philosophical traditions and establishes a framework for understanding the relationship between existence, consciousness, and divine reality. The text continues to influence Islamic philosophy and theological discourse.

Readers find this philosophical text dense and challenging to parse without extensive background in Islamic philosophy and metaphysics. On forums and review sites, many note they required multiple readings to grasp the concepts. Positive mentions: - Clear progression through complex metaphysical arguments - Integration of mystical and rational philosophical approaches - Quality of English translations by James Morris - Detailed explanations of existence vs. essence Common criticisms: - Assumes deep familiarity with previous Islamic philosophers - Limited availability of complete English translations - Complex Arabic terminology can be overwhelming - Some sections feel repetitive Goodreads Rating: 4.5/5 (42 ratings) Most reviews on Islamic philosophy forums recommend starting with simpler texts before attempting this work. One reader on Goodreads wrote: "The depth of analysis is incredible but you need serious preparation before diving in. Not for beginners." Note: Limited review data exists online for this classical text compared to contemporary works.

The Fundamental Principles of Islamic Metaphysics by Seyyed Hossein Nasr This text examines core metaphysical concepts in Islamic philosophy using a systematic approach comparable to Mulla Sadra's methodology.

The Book of Healing by Avicenna The comprehensive philosophical encyclopedia presents metaphysical arguments about existence, causation, and the soul that influenced Mulla Sadra's later work.

The Incoherence of the Philosophers by Al-Ghazali This critique of Neo-Platonic philosophy addresses many of the same metaphysical questions explored in Mulla Sadra's Four Journeys.

Transcendent Theosophy by Seyyed Kamal Haeri Yazdi The text provides a detailed analysis of transcendent philosophy through the lens of Islamic theological discourse and mystical insight.

The Metaphysics of The Healing by Avicenna This focused section of Avicenna's larger work deals specifically with questions of being and existence that form the foundation for later Islamic metaphysical thought.

🌟 The book represents Mulla Sadra's masterwork of 30 years, comprising nine volumes that blend Islamic theology, mysticism, and Aristotelian philosophy into a cohesive philosophical system. 🌟 The "Four Journeys" in the title symbolize the spiritual and intellectual paths: from creation to Truth, within Truth itself, from Truth back to creation, and finally among creation while remaining connected to Truth. 🌟 Mulla Sadra introduced the revolutionary concept of "substantial motion" (al-harakat al-jawhariyya), suggesting that all existence is in constant, dynamic flux—even at the foundational level of substance. 🌟 Though written in the 17th century, the text gained prominence only in the 19th century when it became a standard philosophical textbook in Iranian religious seminaries (hawzas). 🌟 The author, whose full name was Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī, wrote this monumental work while in self-imposed exile in a small village called Kahak, after facing opposition from orthodox religious scholars in Isfahan.