Analysis and Critique of the Reasons for the Possibility of Knowing the Divine Essence and the Way to Achieve it from the Perspective of Fakhr Razi

Abstract

The present study seeks to answer the question "Is it possible to know the divine essence in the system of Fakhr-e-Razi thought?" Organized and the most important results are: Fakhr-e-Razi, after denying the possibility of conceptual and formal knowledge of the Almighty God, by raising the issue of the possibility of seeing, seeks a new cognitive system, according to which one can achieve the knowledge of the divine essence. In the first step, he proves the possibility of knowing the essence with eight reasons. Although there are criticisms of his reasons and some of which are analyzed with prejudice and subjectively, but in general, the possibility of knowing by Fakhr seems acceptable. There is evidence that Fakhr-e-Razi, in his later works, preferred the mystical method and in the second step, took the mystical method and after stating the eight reasons, offers the four stages of seeking, purifying, observing one's non-existence, and annihilation as solutions for attaining the essence and acquiring knowlege about it.

Keywords

• knowledge of essence
• formal knowledge
• purification
• annihilation
• fakhr razi