An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, Volume 1: From Zoroaster to Omar Khayyam

529 Pages·2008·2.58 MB·English

by  Seyyed Hossein Nasr

An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia

An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia
volume i
From Zoroaster to ʿUmar Khayyām
seyyed hossein nasr with mehdi aminrazavi
with the assistance of
m. r. jozi
I.B.Tauris Publishers
london • new york
in association with
The Institute of Ismaili Studies
london
Published in 2008 by I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd
6 Salem Rd, London w2 4bu
175 Fifth Avenue, New York ny 10010
www.ibtauris.com
in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies
42–44 Grosvenor Gardens, London sw1w 0eb
www.iis.ac.uk

In the United States of America and in Canada distributed by
St Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York ny 10010
First published in 1999 by Oxford University Press
Copyright © Islamic Publications Ltd, 2008
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may
not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.
isbn 978 1 84511 541 8
A full cip record for this book is available from the British Library
A full cip record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress catalog card: available
Typeset in Minion Tra for The Institute of Ismaili Studies
Persian poem by Decotype, Amsterdam
Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall
The Institute of Ismaili Studies
The Institute of Ismaili Studies was established in 1977 with the object of promot-
ing scholarship and learning on Islam, in the historical as well as contemporary
contexts, and a better understanding of its relationship with other societies and
faiths.
The Institute’s programmes encourage a perspective which is not confined to
the theological and religious heritage of Islam, but seeks to explore the relationship
of religious ideas to broader dimensions of society and culture. The programmes
thus encourage an interdisciplinary approach to the materials of Islamic history
and thought. Particular attention is also given to issues of modernity that arise as
Muslims seek to relate their heritage to the contemporary situation.
Within the Islamic tradition, the Institute’s programmes promote research on
those areas which have, to date, received relatively little attention from scholars.
These include the intellectual and literary expressions of Shi‘ism in general, and
Ismailism in particular.
In the context of Islamic societies, the Institute’s programmes are informed by
the full range and diversity of cultures in which Islam is practised today, from the
Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Africa to the industrialized societies of
the West, thus taking into consideration the variety of contexts which shape the
ideals, beliefs and practices of the faith.
These objectives are realized through concrete programmes and activities organ-
ized and implemented by various departments of the Institute. The Institute also
collaborates periodically, on a programme-specific basis, with other institutions of
learning in the United Kingdom and abroad.
v
vi An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia
The Institute’s academic publications fall into a number of interrelated
categories:
1. Occasional papers or essays addressing broad themes of the relationship between
religion and society, with special reference to Islam.
2. Monographs exploring specific aspects of Islamic faith and culture, or the
contributions of individual Muslim thinkers or writers.
3. Editions or translations of significant primary or secondary texts.
4. Translations of poetic or literary texts which illustrate the rich heritage of
spiritual, devotional and symbolic expressions in Muslim history.
5. Works on Ismaili history and thought, and the relationship of the Ismailis to
other traditions, communities and schools of thought in Islam.
6. Proceedings of conferences and seminars sponsored by the Institute.
7. Bibliographical works and catalogues which document manuscripts, printed
texts and other source materials.
This book falls into category two listed above.
In facilitating these and other publications, the Institute’s sole aim is to encourage
original research and analysis of relevant issues. While every effort is made to en-
sure that the publications are of a high academic standard, there is naturally bound
to be a diversity of views, ideas and interpretations. As such, the opinions expressed
in these publications must be understood as belonging to their authors alone.
(cid:152)(cid:281)(cid:67)(cid:282)(cid:64)(cid:63)(cid:186)(cid:185)(cid:215)(cid:146)(cid:147)(cid:145)(cid:96)(cid:78)(cid:280)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:205)(cid:45)(cid:46)(cid:183)(cid:182)(cid:70)(cid:242)(cid:3)(cid:205)(cid:206)(cid:217)(cid:98)(cid:104)(cid:183)(cid:182)(cid:64)(cid:3)(cid:441)(cid:281) (cid:79)(cid:82)(cid:86)(cid:282)(cid:175)(cid:142)(cid:201)(cid:21)(cid:166)(cid:282)(cid:3)(cid:159)(cid:205)(cid:45)(cid:46)(cid:183)(cid:182)(cid:70)(cid:242)(cid:3)(cid:144)(cid:125)(cid:22)(cid:166)(cid:281)(cid:159) (cid:3)(cid:152)(cid:281)(cid:67)(cid:282)(cid:64)(cid:63)(cid:443)(cid:156)(cid:281)(cid:387)(cid:388)(cid:78)(cid:280)(cid:81)(cid:47)(cid:3)(cid:48)(cid:186)(cid:185)(cid:156)(cid:281)(cid:394)(cid:388)(cid:82)(cid:86)(cid:175)(cid:282)(cid:3)(cid:306)(cid:120)(cid:281)(cid:203)(cid:443)(cid:166)(cid:282)(cid:159)(cid:3)(cid:76)(cid:282)(cid:120)(cid:281)(cid:142)(cid:3)(cid:44)(cid:203)(cid:3)(cid:200)(cid:143)(cid:20)(cid:19)(cid:42)(cid:140)(cid:303)(cid:211)(cid:120) (cid:100)(cid:3)(cid:98)(cid:99)(cid:203)
(cid:350)
(cid:152)(cid:281)(cid:67)(cid:282)(cid:64)(cid:63)(cid:186)(cid:185)(cid:156)(cid:281)(cid:115)(cid:3)(cid:282)(cid:153)(cid:199)(cid:47)(cid:142)(cid:48)(cid:3)(cid:205)(cid:45)(cid:46)(cid:142)(cid:3)(cid:199)(cid:47)(cid:48)(cid:203)(cid:282)(cid:3)(cid:437)(cid:438)(cid:186)(cid:185)(cid:244)(cid:240)(cid:12)(cid:3)(cid:306)(cid:120)(cid:3)(cid:282)(cid:47)(cid:34)(cid:33)(cid:282) (cid:340)(cid:142) (cid:152)(cid:281)(cid:67)(cid:282)(cid:64)(cid:63)(cid:186)(cid:185)(cid:397)(cid:281)(cid:388)(cid:154)(cid:282)(cid:153)(cid:3)(cid:202)(cid:21)(cid:156)(cid:281)(cid:394)(cid:388)(cid:78)(cid:280)(cid:81)(cid:47)(cid:48)(cid:183)(cid:37)(cid:182)(cid:23)(cid:282)(cid:47)(cid:3)(cid:48)(cid:47)(cid:142)(cid:282)(cid:53)(cid:7)(cid:76)(cid:3)(cid:282)(cid:244)(cid:242)(cid:3)(cid:437)(cid:438)(cid:203)(cid:44)(cid:3) (cid:201)(cid:21)(cid:166)(cid:282)(cid:159)(cid:142)
Although my heart made much haste in this desert,
Although my heart made much haste in this desert,
It did not know a single hair, but took to hair-splitting.
It did not know a single hair, but took to hair-splitting.
In my heart shone a thousand suns,
InY emt ity n ehveera dristc osvheroedn ceo map tlehteolyu thsea nnadtu rse uofn as s,ingle atom
Yet it never discovered completely the nature of a single atom.
Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna)
Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna)

Contents
Preface M. Aminrazavi xiii
List of Reprinted Works xvii
Note on Transliteration xix
List of Contributors xxi
Prolegomenon S. H. Nasr 1
part i. early persian philosophy: zoroastrian thought
Introduction M. Aminrazavi 13
1. The Original Creation (from Bundahišn) 16
2. Greater Bundahišn 27
3. The Answers of Manūskihar (from Dādistān-i Dīnīk) 35
4. Opinions of the Spirit of Wisdom (from Dīnā-i Maīnog-i Khirad) 44
5. Selected Readings 53
6. Exegesis of the Good Religion (from Dēnkard VI) 88
part ii. early persian philosophy: manichaeism
Introduction M. Aminrazavi 105
7. Central Principles (from the Kephalaia) 108
part iii. early islamic philosophy: the peripatetics
Introduction S. H. Nasr 127
8. Abu’l-ʿAbbās Muḥammad Īrānshahrī 130
Introduction M. Aminrazavi 130