Seyyed Hossein Nasr - An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia. Vol. 5. From the School of Shiraz to the Twentieth Century

An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia

Previously published volumes of An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia:

Volume 1: From Zoroaster to Umar Khayym

Volume 2: Ismaili Thought in the Classical Age

Volume 3: Philosophical Theology in the Middle Ages and Beyond

Volume 4: From the School of Illumination to Philosophical Mysticism

Published in 2015 by I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd

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All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978 1 84885 750 6

A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

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Library of Congress catalog card: available

Typeset in Minion Tra for The Institute of Ismaili Studies

Persian poem typeset in Nastaliq designed by Mirjam Somers of DecoType

The Institute of Ismaili Studies

The Institute of Ismaili Studies was established in 1977 with the object of promoting scholarship and learning on Islam, in the historical as well as contemporary contexts, and a better understanding of its relationship with other societies and faiths.

The Institutes programmes encourage a perspective which is not confined to the theological and religious heritage of Islam, but seeks to explore the relationship of religious ideas to broader dimensions of society and culture. The programmes thus encourage an interdisciplinary approach to the materials of Islamic history and thought. Particular attention is also given to issues of modernity that arise as Muslims seek to relate their heritage to the contemporary situation.

Within the Islamic tradition, the Institutes programmes promote research on those areas which have, to date, received relatively little attention from scholars. These include the intellectual and literary expressions of Shiism in general, and Ismailism in particular.

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These objectives are realized through concrete programmes and activities organized and implemented by various departments of the Institute. The Institute also collaborates periodically, on a programme-specific basis, with other institutions of learning in the United Kingdom and abroad.

The Institutes academic publications fall into a number of interrelated categories:

1. Occasional papers or essays addressing broad themes of the relationship between religion and society, with special reference to Islam.

2. Monographs exploring specific aspects of Islamic faith and culture, or the contributions of individual Muslim thinkers or writers.

3. Editions or translations of significant primary or secondary texts.

4. Translations of poetic or literary texts which illustrate the rich heritage of spiritual, devotional and symbolic expressions in Muslim history.

5. Works on Ismaili history and thought, and the relationship of the Ismailis to other traditions, communities and schools of thought in Islam.

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This book falls into category two listed above.

In facilitating these and other publications, the Institutes sole aim is to encourage original research and analysis of relevant issues. While every effort is made to ensure that the publications are of a high academic standard, there is naturally bound to be a diversity of views, ideas and interpretations. As such, the opinions expressed in these publications must be understood as belonging to their authors alone.

Whatever exists above, has a form below.

Heaven with these stars is clear, pleasing and beautiful.

The form below, if the ladder of gnosis

is upward trodden, with its principle becomes one.

Mr Findirisk

List of Reprinted Works

jj Mull Hd Sabziwr, Shar al-manmah, tr. Mehdi Mohaghegh and Toshihiko Izutzu as The Metaphysics of Sabzavr. Delmar, NY, 1977.

Mull adr, Kitb al-Mashir, tr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr as Metaphysical Penetrations. Provo, UT, 2013.

Note on Transliteration

Arabic characters