متن شناسی ادب فارسی (Dec 2022)
Analysis of Naser Khosrow’s Cosmological Ideas
Abstract
AbstractThe main issue of this study, which was conducted with a descriptive-analytical method, was the critique and analysis of Naser Khosrow's cosmological ideas and the search for its origins. In Naser Khosrow’s view, the world, which consists of top-down levels, is divided into two main parts: the spiritual world and the physical world. The levels of innovation, general intellect, and general soul are located in the spiritual world, while the physical world is comprised of the six levels of hyle, general nature, body, planets, the fourfold natures, and the birth. The creation is purposeful and occurs through innovation. From the matter of truth arises the general intellect and from the general intellect arises the general soul, which is the mastermind of the universe and mediator of the transmission of the benefits of the general intellect to the lower levels. The hyle is the shadow of the general soul and from the view point of the general soul, in its shadow, the general nature emerges. The body is a substance, which has length, width, and depth. The planets and the celestial bodies are also the instruments of the general soul in the creation of the lower level universe and its governance. The fourfold elements of soil, water, wind, and fire establish the pillars and from their composition with the fourfold natures emerges the ternate of births. Human being is the last stage of existence and the aid of the general soul in reaching to the world of intellect and his (man’s) contentment is dependent on the teachings of Nātiq and Imam with the efforts of other levels of the Ismaili religion, which has a high position in the world system. The roots of some of Naser Khosrow's cosmological beliefs can be traced to the Greek scholars’ views and the works of Ismaili thinkers, such as Abu Ya'qub Sajestani and Hamid al-Din Kermani.IntroductionCosmological studies discuss the world and its levels. This branch of philosophical studies proves to be productive in examining, criticizing, and analyzing cosmological ideas in ancient Persian literary texts, especially philosophical texts. Therefore, through cosmological studies, the poets’ and authors’ systems of thought and viewpoints towards the world are explicable. The main subject of this study was examination and analysis of Naser Khosrow’s cosmological thoughts and their origins and backgrounds. Naser Khosrow, the greatest Ismaili author and poet in Persian literature, sustains a homogeneous philosophical thought system, which is the outcome of his special experience and personal interest in the reflection on nations and people’s beliefs, his Ismaili ideology, his contemplation on the great Ismaili intellectual works, and investigation of the breeding grounds of their thoughts. Expounding the relationship between the existence and the creator, clarifying the levels of creation, and verifying the purposeful creation are the pivotal subjects in his works.MethodologyTo understand the theoretical grounds and the confines and scope of this investigation, which was conducted with a descriptive-analytical method, the authoritative works on the history of philosophy were first studied. Then, Naser Khosrow’s Divan and other prose works were scrutinized from the viewpoint of cosmological thoughts and subjects and the results were compiled under the general headings of spiritual world and physical world, each of which was comprised of several levels. In addition, referring to multiple Greek, neo-platonic, and Gnostic sources, as well as Ismaili thinkers’ works, the origins and backgrounds of a number of Naser Khosrow’s cosmological thoughts were uncovered. Discussion and ResultsFrom Naser Khosrow’s viewpoint, the existence is divided into physical and spiritual worlds. The spiritual world incorporates the levels of innovation, general intellect, and general soul. The creation starts with innovation. God orders the existence with His word and this order results in the emergence of the general intellect, which is immanent, luminous, immaterial in essence and action, stationery, and recognizing. The general intellect in turn generates the general soul, which is simple, spiritual, live, wise, and able. The general soul is the active cause of the physical world, which is created by means of the stars and celestial bodies. The physical world is comprised of the six levels of hyle, general nature, body, planets, the fourfold natures, and the birth. The hyle is rational and form-taker that stands after the soul. The general nature is also a soft essence, which protects all the types and forms. The body as the sixth level of the creation is a compound essence that is perceptible though the external senses. The stars and celestial bodies, which emerge through combination of the hyle and form, are the soft part of the world and essence of the fire. The four-fold elements arise from the dirty part of the hyle, which in combination with the four sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic temperaments, generate the compounds and levels of inanimate objects, plants, and animals. Human is at the ultimate level of the creation and possesses a speaking soul. The cycle of the creation starts with innovation and ends with the creation of human, who, by learning knowledge and applying the teachings of Sharia, returns to the rational world. In Naser Khosrow's worldview, Natiq, Imam, and other positions of the Ismaili religion play an important role in human’s ultimate felicity. Naser Khosrow's cosmological ideology is the result of his personal awareness, reflection on the Ismaili thinkers’ works, and probing into ancient sources, such as the Greek philosophers’ works or Gnostic and Neoplatonic sources.
Keywords
