The Concept of Divine Revelation According to Ibn Sînâ and Al-Ghazālī: A Comparative Analysis
RELIGIONS, cilt.15, sa.11, 2024 (AHCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 15 Sayı: 11
- Basım Tarihi: 2024
- Doi Numarası: 10.3390/rel15111383
- Dergi Adı: RELIGIONS
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus
- Kayseri Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır
Özet
This article examines the conceptions of divine revelation held by two prominent figures in Islamic thought, Ibn S & imacr;n & amacr; and Al-Ghaz & amacr;l & imacr;, through a comparative lens within the context of metaphysical and epistemological processes. Ibn S & imacr;n & amacr; views divine revelation as a metaphysical process occurring at the highest level of intellect. According to him, divine revelation is an abstract reflection of divine knowledge transmitted to the prophet's imaginative faculty through the Active Intellect. This process, explained within a philosophical framework, is grounded in the development of human intellectual capacity. In contrast, Ghaz & amacr;l & imacr; defines divine revelation as a mystical experience and considers it a divine encounter beyond the limits of human reason. For Ghaz & amacr;l & imacr;, divine revelation manifests as an expression of God's attribute of speech and occurs solely by divine will. Moreover, this experience cannot be fully comprehended by reason. Ghaz & amacr;l & imacr;'s approach, imbued with Sufi depth, regards divine revelation as an integral part of spiritual growth. This article explores the fundamental similarities and differences between these two thinkers' understandings of divine revelation and metaphysics. By analyzing how Ibn S & imacr;n & amacr;'s reason-based approach intersects and diverges from Ghaz & amacr;l & imacr;'s intuition and inspiration-based Sufi approach, this study provides an in-depth examination of how the concept of divine revelation has been shaped within Islamic theology and philosophy, highlighting the contributions of both thinkers to the discourse on divine revelation.