Transformations of the philosophical structure in contemporary Iraq from the perspective of transcendent wisdom; A reading of the impact of Malasdra’s philosophy on the jurisprudence of the martyr Al-Sadr

Abstract

Within an intellectual milieu where the dilemmas of modernity converge with the labor pains of tradition, this study endeavors to explore the influence of Ṣadr al-Dīn al-Shīrāzī’s (Mullā Ṣadrā) philosophy on the structure and formation of the unique philosophical innovations of Martyr Muḥammad Bāqir al-Ṣadr. His thought is approached here as a vital model of epistemological renewal that remains firmly rooted in the Islamic context while engaging directly with the exigencies of contemporary reality. The study is framed around a central question: to what extent was al-Ṣadr able to repurpose the philosophical principles of transcendent theosophy (ḥikmat al-mutaʿāliya) in crafting an authentic and contemporaneous intellectual system capable of penetrating traditional epistemic dualities and confronting imported positivist paradigms? This question is not merely posed as a theoretical meditation, but rather as a cultural conundrum that continues to trouble the very conscience of the modern Islamic intellect. The research adopts an interpretive-analytical method based on a qualitative comparison between the philosophical texts of Mullā Ṣadrā and the writings of al-Ṣadr, incorporating an interdisciplinary lens that uncovers the interaction between metaphysical doctrines and socio-economic realities. Among the most salient findings of the study are the following: Al-Ṣadr succeeded in constructing a distinguished philosophical framework by re-reading transcendent theosophy through the lens of contemporary exigencies, leading to the emergence of a knowledge discourse that harmonizes tradition and ijtihādic innovation. He established a novel epistemological paradigm that transcends the dichotomy between subject and object, integrating the principles of (unity of the knower and the known) and (knowledge by presence) to forge a new intellectual architecture. He ingeniously adapted the principle of the primacy and gradationality of existence to formulate socio-economic theories with a prophetic dimension, such as the (theory of social balance) and (dual ownership), thereby showcasing philosophy’s efficacy in addressing living societal concerns. Through his pioneering project of the (interest-free bank), he offered a tangible model for the application of transcendent theosophy in the domain of finance and economics, effectively bridging the gap between theory and practice. Moreover, he laid the foundations of a renewed inductive methodology that surpasses the limitations of classical inductive logic by fusing it with Islamic epistemological principles, thus expanding the horizons for the revitalization of scientific reasoning within the Islamic context.