The exceptional intellectual richness of 17th-century Safavid Iran is epitomised by the philosophical school of Isfahan, and in particular by its ostensible founder, M墨r D膩m膩d (d. 1040/1631), and his great student Mull膩 峁dr膩 (aka 峁dr al-D墨n Sh墨r膩z墨, d. 1045/1635鈥1636). To their respective platonic and existentialist doctrines can be added the apophatic wisdom of Rajab 士Al墨 Tabr墨z墨 (d. 1080/1669鈥1670).
However, despite these philosophers鈥 renown, the identification of the ‘philosophical school of Isfahan’ was only proposed in 1956, by the celebrated French Islamologist Henry Corbin, who noted the unifying Islamic Neoplatonist character of some twenty thinkers and spiritual figures; this grouping has subsequently remained unchallenged for some fifty years.
In this highly original work, Janis Esots investigates the legitimacy of the term ‘school’, delving into the complex philosophies of these three major Shi士i figures and drawing comparisons between their doctrines. The author makes the case that Mull膩 峁dr膩鈥檚 thought is independent and actually incompatible with that of M墨r D膩m膩d and Rajab 士Al墨 Tabr墨z墨. This not only presents a new approach to how we understand the 鈥榮chool of Isfahan鈥, but it also identifies M墨r D膩m膩d and Rajab 士Al墨 Tabr墨z墨 as pioneers in their own right.
Note on the Text
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. School of I峁ah膩n I: M墨r D膩m膩d鈥檚 鈥榃isdom of the Right Side鈥
2. The Gnostic of Sh墨r膩z: Mull膩 峁dr膩 and His 鈥楾ranscendent Wisdom鈥
3. School of I峁ah膩n II: The Apophatic Wisdom of Rajab 士Al墨 Tabr墨z墨
4. The Doctrines of M墨r D膩m膩d, Mull膩 峁dr膩, and Rajab 士Al墨 Tabr墨z墨: A Comparative Analysis
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
鈥榓 rigorous, well-researched, and enthralling work that enhances understanding of Safavid philosophy and is certainly an apt and important contribution to 鸟大大影院鈥 Shi士i Heritage Series.鈥
鈥 Gianni Izzo, Iranian Studies
Janis Esots was a Research Associate at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, UK, and Associate Professor at the Department of Asian Studies, University of Latvia, Latvia. His research focused on Ismaili thought and the so-called 鈥榩hilosophical school of Isfahan鈥 (Mull膩 峁dr膩, M墨r D膩m膩d, and Rajab 士Al墨 Tabr墨z墨). He was the managing editor of Encyclopaedia Islamica and the editor of the Islamic Philosophy Yearbook, Ishraq.