Critique of Miskawayh’s Viewpoint concerning Humanity’s Index and its Relation to Virtue and Happiness on the Basis of the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth
Journal Title: رهیافتهایی در علوم قرآن و حدیث - Year 2015, Vol 47, Issue 94
Abstract
Miskawayh regards intellect as the essence and non-material substance of human soul and mentions “virtue” as the sovereignty of intellect over the faculties of the soul (nafs) and its actions, the resul of which is the freedom of intellect in dealing with theoretical contemplations and the outcome of these contemplations is “wisdom”, that is the “happiness” of the soul. Therefore, happiness relies on the theoretical aspect of intellect; and virtue, which is the outcome of the practical mode of intellect, functions as its prelude. However, in the verses and traditions, human virtue and happiness is, on one hand, rooted in intellect and, on the other, man’s will and power of choice between vices and virtue leads to purification (virtue) resulting in salvation (happiness). Thus, the semantic dominion of intellect in the lexicology of religion and the pivotal index of human virtue and happiness in the Qur’ān, have been the key questions of this research. As such, after determining “man as the opting factor” depicted as the above pivotal index, and after recognizing the meaning of intellect and admitting its originality in virtue and happiness through distinction between truth and falsehood and providence, we have concluded that, contrary to Miskawayh’s opinion, virtue does not functions as a prelude to happiness; rather, the criterion for virtue and happiness is one and the same, i.e. acquiring “God-wariness”
Authors and Affiliations
Muhammad Mustafa’I, Hasan Naqizadeh, Abbas Javareshkiyan, Gholamreza Ra’Isiyan
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP197869
- DOI 10.22067/naqhs.v47i1.20196
- Views 118
- Downloads 0
Reaction of People of Falsity in their Encounter with the Emergence of Truth on the Resurrection Day
Since the verses of the Qur’ān have been revealed for the guidance of human beings and their eternal happiness, the Holy Qur’ān makes every endeavor to illustrate human destiny on the Resurrection Day. The behavioral rea...
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Qur’ānic Sciences
Raising epistemological discourses in the interdisciplinary science of philosophy have prompted various researchers of science to examine the general principles governing human sciences and knowledge from a different per...
A Discussion on the Designation of the Qur’ānic Evidences concerning the Incidence of Abrogation in the Qur’ān and their Referent
All the verses that the believers in the incidence of abrogation in the Holy Qur’ān’s verses have mentioned as the Qur’ānic evidences consist of four verses; i.e., 106 of Sūrat al-Baqara, 101 of Sūrat al-Naḥl, 39 of Sūra...
A Reaserch on the Verses of Litertal Similarity in the Holy Qur'an
There are many verses in the Qur'an with literally similar words that bring the question to the readers' minds as to whether there are repetitions in the Holy Qur'an, and whether these repetitions do not damage the rheto...
Literacy of the Apostle of Allah (S.A.W.) before his Prophetic Mission from the Viewpoint of Regis Blaschere
Orientalism, as a phenomenon, has a long record in the West; and the orientalists are also varied in their motivations. The orientalists have attempted throughout the history to make believe that the Prophet of Islam had...