Gowhar-i murad (book): Difference between revisions

| subject = Theology

| published = 1425/2004

'''''Gowhar-i murād''''' (Persian: {{iarabic|گوهر مراد}}) is a book authored by [['Abd al-Razzaq Lahiji]] (d. [[1072]]/1662) concerning Islamic [[philosophy]] and [[kalam]] (Islamic theology). The book contains discussions of the main problems of kalam, philosophy, [[ethics]], [[mysticism]] and [[Usul al-Din|the five principles of the religion]]. It is structured by a preface, three chapters, and an epilogue; the introduction is concerned with the place of human being in the world, the way of [[God]], and the purposes of philosophy and kalam, the three chapters are concerned with knowing oneself, knowing God and his commands by knowing his messengers—the [[prophets (a)]] and [[Imams (a)]]—and the consequences of obeying or disobeying God's commands in [[Akhira|the afterlife]], and the epilogue concerns ethics and mysticism.

The structure of ''Gowhar-i murad'' is a peculiar one that cannot be found in other works in kalam. In addition to the standard issues in kalam, the book discusses some ethical and mystical problems. Moreover, some philosophical problems are discussed in the book, thus we can count the book as a theological-philosophical one. What is more, the issues of the book are influenced by the author's mystical thoughts.

Though Lahiji takes the addressees of his book to be the novice, the intermediary learner, and the scholars alike, his book counts in fact as a specialized work in kalam. After ''Gowhar-i murad'', Lahiji wrote ''Sarmayi-i 'iman'' for the novice.

''Gowhar-i murad'' has a different structure and organization in comparison with other works in kalam. Most works in kalam are organized on the basis of [[Usul al-Din|the five principles of the religion]]. Lahiji did not follow this method; he organized ''Gowhar-i murad'' in three main parts: knowing oneself, knowing God, and knowing God's commands.

# The definition of kalam and its purpose, the difference between kalam and judgment (hukm), and why diverse kalami sects and approaches have been formed in the Islamic world.

* Part two: knowing God, including a discussion of monotheism ([[tawhid]]) and justice ([['adl]]) in three sections:

# The proof of the existence of [[the necessary being]] and its unity,

* Part three: knowing God's commands, which requires one to know the messengers and preservers of God's commands—that is, issues of prophecy ([[nubuwwa]]) and [[Imamate]]. This part includes four sections:

# Knowing the messengers of the commands—that is, [[the prophets]],

4. Knowing the awards and punishments of obedience and disobedience—that is, the resurrection and [[Akhira|afterlife]].

The organization is inspired by mystical thoughts in which a [[Sufi]] starts from knowing him or herself and ends in knowing God.

Works in kalam are not usually concerned with ethical and mystical issues. But ''Gowhar-i murad'' is considerably engaged with such issues. Lahiji is obviously under the influence of [[mysticism]] and [[Sufism]] introducing their doctrines in his formulations of issues in kalam. One might regard ''Gowhar-i murad'' as a philosophical-mystical book in kalam.

This is a result of Lahiji's conception of kalam. In his view, kalam as an inquiry into religious beliefs is a means to mystical and divine experiences.

===Precise Explication of the Terminologies of Philosophy and Kalam===

===A Simple and Precise Explication of Problems in Philosophy and Kalam===

In ''Gowhar-i murad'', issues of philosophy and kalam have been discussed in a simple and yet precise way.

===Introduction of Philosophical Problems into Kalam===

''Gowhar-i murad'' is not merely a book concerning Islamic-Shiite kalam; it is also a book on [[Islamic philosophy]]. The author of ''[[Riyad al-'ulama']]'' has mentioned the book under those concerning Islamic philosophy.

It is as a result of Lahiji's particular view about the nature of kalam that he introduces philosophical issues into it. Therefore, ''Gowhar-i murad'' should be considered as a philosophical-theological work. And given the mystical tendencies of Lahiji in the formulation of issues in the book, it might even be considered as philosophical-mystical kalam or theology.

In addition to providing a summary of early views in kalam, ''Gowhar-i murad'' contains some innovative theories in philosophy and kalam.

Lahiji has peculiar views in the book—for instance, about the doctrine of the miracle ([[mu'jiza]]). In his view, what is responsible for the occurrence of the miracles—which belong to the category of acts—such as healing the sick, is the perfection of the motive faculty in the soul of the prophet resulting in the realization of whatever the prophet imagines and wills to happen. However, he also takes into account the possibility that in miracles, such as hearing the sands praising God, happen not because the prophet interferes in the external world; rather because he manipulates the imaginative faculties of the individuals.

Lahiji does not take the [[Qur'an]] to be a miracle for all people; he maintains that the Qur'an is only a miracle for the intellectuals, researchers and scholars who know the principles of the religion and the disciplines related to the Arabic language. The laymen, in his view, are unable to comprehend the miraculous nature of the Qur'an, since "they do not know philosophical disciplines and the subtleties of the Arabic language", though on the basis of the Quranic challenge  or [[tahaddi]], "since nobody can meet the challenge, the miraculous nature of the Qur'an will be evident for the laymen too".

In ''Gowhar-i murad'', Lahiji did not deal with some issues and problems that were discussed in early works in kalam, such as [[Tajrid al-i'tiqad (book)|Tajrid al-i'tiqad]]. For instance, he does not discuss issues such as the punishment of children in the [[Akhira|afterlife]], livelihoods ('arzaq), prices ('as'ar) (the issue of whether prices of the goods are determined by God or by people and whether people or the governments have the right to determine prices), and the times of deaths ([[ajal]]).

On the other hand, Lahiji discusses issues that were scarcely considered in early works in kalam, such as the grounds of divine response to people's prayers, the benefits of visiting the believers' tombs, and the prediction of hidden and future facts.

:When this book was finished and this desired jewel [''Gowhar-i murad''] came out from the sea of potentiality to the coast of actuality, it looked very precious to me—regardless of the fact that I am the author of this book, I can say that this is a unique book. For this book includes main problems and major issues that are precious to scholars, and it is a sum of the thoughts of early and late thinkers. It is formulated so as to provide the novice with comprehendible contents, it contains researches helping the intermediary learners to rescue from perplexity, and it contains criticisms that provides high-ranking scholars with a stock of critiques and philosophical thoughts unaffected by imaginations and confusions.