Na峁Ｄ玶 al-D墨n 峁玸墨, the renowned Shi鈥榠 scholar of the 13th century, produced a range of writings in different fields of learning under Ismaili patronage and later under the Mongols. This is a new English translation of his Rawda-yi tasl墨m 鈥 the single most important Ismaili text from the AlamutFortress of the Nizari Ismailis in northern Iran, which fell to the Mongols in 654 AH/1256 CE. period. Here the Persian and English texts are published together for the first time to produce a work of enormous value to students of Islamic theology and philosophy. The book contains an introduction by Professor Hermann Landolt and philosophical commentary by Professor Christian Jambet, who has produced a French translation of this text.
Preface
Introduction, by Hermann Landolt
Paradise of Submission (English text)
Ta峁wwur 1
Refutation of the argument of one who denies the Creator, the Sublime, the Exalted, or maintains that there are two deities or two eternal beings, and [demonstrating] that human beings cannot establish a proof for His existence [搂1鈥9]
Ta峁wwur 2
On the procession of all things from His Almighty and Holy Command, [written] as a catechism [搂10鈥29]
Ta峁wwur 3
Concerning the question that ‘Out of one can only issue one’ [搂30鈥36]
Ta峁wwur 4
Concerning the First Intellect, the Agent Intellect and the Universal Intellect, being three in expression and one in meaning [搂37]
Ta峁wwur 5
Concerning the Universal Soul [搂38]
Ta峁wwur 6
Concerning primordial matter [搂39鈥45]
Ta峁wwur 7
Concerning universal nature and the universal body [搂46鈥50]
Ta峁wwur 8
Concerning knowledge of the human soul [搂51鈥66]
Ta峁wwur 9
Concerning knowledge of the human intellect [搂67鈥77]
Ta峁wwur 10
Concerning the purpose of the attachment of individual souls to human bodies, and a short account of the composition of the human body [搂78鈥101]
Ta峁wwur 11
Concerning the essential differentia of each genus and the natural kingdom: mineral, plant, animal and human [搂102鈥106]
Ta峁wwur 12
Concerning the perfections which the attribute bestows on its subject, and vice-versa, through the permission of God Almighty [搂107鈥109]
Ta峁wwur 13
Concerning the categories of knowledge: the necessary, the speculative, the instructional and the inspirational [搂110鈥113]
Ta峁wwur 14
Concerning good and evil, that evil does not exist in initial origination, and [explaining the] existence of the evil that is perceived in this world [搂114鈥132]
Ta峁wwur 15
Concerning Paradise and paradises, Hell and hells, purgatories and the paths [搂133鈥160]
Ta峁wwur 16
Concerning Adam and Iblis [搂161鈥182]
Ta峁wwur 17
Concerning the causes for various differences that exist among the world’s inhabitants, and between the followers of truth and the followers of error [搂183鈥207]
Ta峁wwur 18
Concerning the paucity of the followers of truth and the great number of the followers of error [搂208鈥214]
Ta峁wwur 19
Concerning demons, fairies and angels [搂215鈥220]
Ta峁wwur 20
Concerning progression from corporeality to spirituality, and from spirituality to rationality [搂221鈥224]
Ta峁wwur 21
Concerning the Origin and the Return, this world and the Hereafter, man’s coming into this world and his departure from it, illustrating whence he has come, why he has come and whither he is heading, and discussing the resurrection of souls and bodies [搂225鈥264]
Ta峁wwur 22
On the refinement of character [搂265鈥299]
Ta峁wwur 23
Concerning various kinds of submission [搂300鈥316]
Ta峁wwur 24
On prophethood and the imamate, where with respect to prophethood are discussed miracles, pseudo-prophets and the possessed, and with respect to the imamate are discussed pupils, teachers and the hujjats [搂317鈥389]
Ta峁wwur 25
On the essence of language, the faculties of speech and hearing, and silence [搂390鈥4O1]
Ta峁wwur 26
Concerning the cycles of the six Prophets with authority, from Adam to Muhammad 鈥 peace be upon them 鈥 and the truthful Imams 鈥 may their mention be sanctified 鈥 and the appearance of the mission of the Resurrector, and the proclamation of the mission of Resurrection [搂402鈥482]
Ta峁wwur 27
On idol worshippers and refutation of their doctrines [搂483鈥518]
Annex
On the nature of spiritual union
On the hierarchy of spiritual knowledge
Appendix
A Philosophical Commentary, by Christian Jambet
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Rawda-yi tasl墨m (Persian text)
鈥楾he translation of the Rawda is smooth-flowing and fastidious … Badakhchani’s ability to render difficult Persian and Arabic constructions into readable English is particularly noteworthy … an important contribution to the growing body of Islamic philosophical texts in English.鈥
鈥 Mohammad Rustom, The Muslim World Book Review
鈥…should most certainly find a home on the shelves of any collection with even a modicum of holdings on Ismaili studies.鈥
鈥 Erik S. Ohlander, MELA Notes
S. J. Badakhchani is a Research Associate at 鸟大大影院 in London, having obtained his doctorate in Islamic Philosophy at the University of Oxford in 1989. His previous publications include Contemplation and Action, a new Persian edition and English translation of Na峁Ｄ玶 al-D墨n 峁玸墨鈥檚 spiritual autobiography, Sayr wa Sul奴k (1998).