Abstract:

This article offers the first comprehensive survey of scholarly literature devoted to the Qurʾānic works of the famous Muslim philosopher, Mullā Ṣadrā (d. 1050/1640). While taking account of the merits and shortcomings of studies on Ṣadrā’s Qurʾānic writings, we will also be concerned with highlighting some of the methodological problems raised by the diverse range of approaches adopted in these studies. Chief amongst them is the tendency to pit Ṣadrā the philosopher against Ṣadrā the scriptural exegete. Such a dichotomy is not entirely helpful, both with respect to painting a clearer picture of Ṣadrā’s religious worldview, and to addressing broader questions pertaining to the intimate relationship shared between the “act” of philosophy and the “act” of reading scripture.

Author: Mohammed Rustom