Divine theosophy in the view of His Holiness Ali

The book “Divine theosophy in the view of His holiness Ali”, written in Arabic by the outstanding Iranian scholar Allameh Tabatabaee concerning theosophical and philosophical subjects in the speeches of Imam Ali. The author discovers the mysteries in the speeches and explains the divine theosophy of the Imam.

 

The author

Allameh Seyyed Muhammad Hossein Tabatabaie, prominent philosopher, born in 1903 in Tabriz –Iran.
He studied primary education in his birthplace, then in 1925 travelled to Najaf and completed his education during 10 years.
He studied jurisprudence (Fiqh) and methodology (Osul) in the presence of celebrated masters: "Naieni" and "Company", and philosophy in the presence of "Seyyed Hossein Badkouie", mathematics in the presence of "Seyyed Abul Qasem Khansari" and ethics in the presence of "Mirza Ali Qazi". In 1935, returned to Tabriz.

Allameh Tabatabaie's education was not restricted only to jurisprudence; in addition to studying: conflection & syntax, Arabic literature and jurisprudence & methodology, he aslo learnt old mathematics from "the principles of Euclid" to "the Almagest of Ptolemy" and philosophy, theology, thesophy too and achived a high position in these sciences.
In 1946, he emigrated to Qom and established the philosophy and metaphysics classes. He also travelled to Tehran successively and communicated with people who were intrested in Islamic philosophy and discussed even with those who were against religion; he could make them understand the reality of religion. Therefore Allameh Tabatabaie had a deep influence on Iran and educated and modernist classes in the west.

For many years every autumn there was a meeting between Allameh Tabatabaie and "Henry Carbon" (French Islamist, orietalist and philosopher) and also number of scholars attended, they discissed about the vital issues of philosophy and religion.

In Qom Hawzeh (religious school), Allameh Tabatabaie revived intellectual sciences and exegesis of the Quran.
Gradually teaching basic levels of philosophy such as: the book "Shefa" (written by Avicenna) and "Asfar" (written by mullah Sadra), became common.
Hundreds students attended in his philosophy classes; some of them are now great philosophy masters.

Works:
There are left many works of Allameh Tabatabaie, the following are some of them:

1- Tafsir al-Mizan (the Quranic exegesis, 20 volumes, in Arabic)
2- The principles of philosophy and method of realism
3- Gloss on "Asfar" (written by mullah Sadra)
4- Conversations with "Carbon"(2 volumes)
5- A treatise on Islamic government (it has been published in Arabic, Persian and German)
6- Gloss on "Kefayatul Osul" (written by mullah Mohammad Kazem Khorasani)
7- A treatise on power (Qoweh) and effect (Fe'l)
8- A treatise on attributes
9- A treatise on acts
10- Man before religion
11- Man in religion
12- Man after religion

Allameh Tabatabaie died in 1981.

 

The book structure

 

In the book Allameh presents divine Islamic philosophy and explains its developments during history.

He considers that Imam Ali speeches on divine theosophy are truly unique the book includes the following chapters:

1- What is philosophy?

2-Religion and philosophy

3- Divine theosophy

4- Divine Islamic philosophy

5-The five ways leading towards theism

6- Monotheism according to His holiness Ali (peace be upon him)

7- Divine Attributes of God Almighty according to the Imam

8-God Negative Attributes and God proved Attributes

9- The manner of creation in the Imam Ali

10-The Heaven in the words of Imam Ali

11-The conception of fate

12- Divine truths

13-obediernce of God servants