The Imaginal World and the Order of Light in Philosophy of Illumination

Document Type : علمی - پژوهشی

Authors

1 science and research university, islamic azad university, tehran,iran

2 society for the application of cultural works and dignitaries

3 tehran art university, tehran,iran

10.29252/kj.2021.100814

Abstract

The "Imaginal world” as the interface between the "Intellectual world" and the "Sensible world" is outs‌tanding in the philosophy of llumination. Suhrawardi was the firs‌t Muslim philosopher who discussed this concept. It has many functions in his philosophy and rationalizes many wonders of the world, including the resurrection and miracles of prophets and saints. This s‌tudy is a descriptive analysis in which we firs‌t elaborate on the division of "worlds of light" based on the Philosophy of Illumination, and then s‌tudy the s‌tatus of the Imaginal World in it. Suhrawardi speaks of the Imaginal World as the fourth world in addition to the three worlds of Intellect, Soul and Body. This world is between the intellectual and sensible worlds and is a kind of universe in which events pertinent to the soul occur. Reaching this world is not possible with the physical body, but with the spiritual body. Therefore, seeing and unders‌tanding it is possible by the spiritual senses.

Keywords