Mull� ∑adr�’s Prolegomenon to the

Maf�tı˛ al-ghayb
Amongst the areas of inquiry concerning the thought of the eminent Islamic
philosopher, Mull� ∑adr� Shır�zı (d. 1050/1641), his work devoted to the Qur’an and
its sciences has received relatively little attention.1 These writings can be grouped as
follows: (1) the Maf�tı˛ al-ghayb,2 the contents of which shall become clearer
shortly; (2) the Asr�r al-�y�t wa-anw�r al-bayyin�t,3 a commentary on select ayas of
the Qur’an, mainly dealing with those ayas which pertain directly to cosmology and
eschatology; (3) the Mutash�bih�t al-Qur√�n,4 a work dedicated to the ‘ambiguous’
ayas of the Qur’an; (4) the Mafi�nı al-alf�÷ al-mufrada min al-Qur√�n,5 a treatise
discussing the meanings of some of the individual terms found in the Qur’an; (5) the
Qur’an commentary proper, which consists of thirteen independent commentaries on
various suras and ayas of the Qur’an.6 His approach in all of these works is
philosophical and mystical, but he also manages to engage the traditions of Shıfiı and
Sunnı kal�m and tafsır which preceded him.7

In what follows I will closely analyse ∑adr�’s pronouncements in the introduction to

his most important theoretical work on the Qur’an, the Maf�tı˛ al-ghayb.
Highlighting the main features of ∑adr�’s prolegomenon to the Maf�tı˛ will cast
light on the overall vision he held for his hermeneutical project, thereby providing an
effective basis for further inquiry into his Qur’anic hermeneutics.

The Maf�tı˛ deals with many of the philosophical issues which ∑adr� takes up in his
other works, yet it is distinguished from them by its heavy emphasis on issues
directly pertaining to scripture. A number of scholars have already stated that ∑adr�
lays out his esoteric hermeneutical method for interpreting the Qur’an in the
Maf�tı˛.8 Indeed, ∑adr�’s pronouncements in the prolegomenon to the Maf�tı˛ do
indicate that he viewed this book as foundational to understanding his works on the
Qur’anic sciences. At the beginning of the Maf�tı˛ he tells his readers that he had
been meaning to write this work for quite some time:9

For some time now I have longed to bring forth the meanings of this
Qur’an. [With] my previous reflections I attempted to walk its roads
and [by means of] the way-stations of the pious explore its paths. In
order to attain this goal I consulted my soul (nafs), casting aside the
arrows of my own opinion …

∑adr� goes on to say that he was reluctant to carry out this endeavour because of the
weight of the task itself.10 These are the words of someone who, according to the
dates given by Mu˛ammad Khw�jawı, had already written some ten commentaries
on independent suras or ayas of the Qur’an.11 Yet he does not mention these works

128
 Notes, Reports and Correspondence 129

from the past in his prolegomenon to the Maf�tı˛. Slightly before this, ∑adr� remarks
that the work was written as the result of a spiritual experience which compelled him
to manifest what he knew of the Qur’anic sciences. That this passage would precede
the one cited above, where ∑adr� expresses his wish to write the Mafatı˛, may come
as a surprise, but the reasons for this are purely stylistic. The lines cited below are
dramatic and compelling; they are written with vigour, a sense of urgency, and in
mellifluous Arabic prose. They are, in effect, ∑adr�’s meditations after the fact,
summarising the end of his endeavours which he will go on to explicate in more or
less chronological fashion for the remainder of the introduction:12

A command has issued from the Lord of my heart (�mir qalbı), a

spiritual allusion has come forth from my innermost recesses
(waradat ish�ra min sirr ghaybı). His judgement and decision have
come to pass and He has decreed that some of the divine symbols
(rumüz il�hiyya) be brought forth, and that the matters related to the
Qur’anic sciences, the Prophetic allusions, secrets of faith, flashes of
wisdom, esoteric glimmerings connected to the wonders of the
glorious revelation and the subtleties of Qur’anic interpretation
become manifest.

The wording here is very important. ∑adr� was commanded by God to bring forth
the ‘divine symbols’, the ‘matters related to the Qur’anic sciences’ and the
‘subtleties of Qur’anic interpretation’. As it soon becomes apparent from the
contents of the first two sections of this work, the fulfillment of this command was
articulated in chapters containing discussions on the Qur’an’s use of allusory
language (mift�˛ 1:1), the senses of scripture (mift�˛ 1:10) and the etiquette required
for reading and ‘experiencing’ the Qur’an (mift�˛ 2:2).

That this work was inspired is further confirmed by ∑adr� a page later, where he
refers to his experience as an ‘opening’ (fat˛):13

The Master of the Holy Realm of the Divinity (ß�˛ib quds al-l�hüt),
the Owner of the Kingdom of the Dominion (m�lik mulk al-malaküt),
granted me a new opening (fat˛ jadıd), made the sight of my insight
piercing with His light, revealing to my heart an opening which drew
me near …

∑adr� further remarks that this opening granted him new knowledge of the
‘treasurers of the symbols of the divine realities’ (kunüz rumüz al-˛aq�√iq),14 which,
it will be recalled, he was commanded by God to bring forth. This spiritual opening
was also accompanied by a great burden of responsibility. ∑adr� says, ‘I said [to
myself] after this opening within myself (fat˛ li-nafsı), “now is the time to begin
mentioning the principles (ußül) from which the branches [of the Qur’anic sciences]
derive”.’15 This approach would be characterised by its sapiential perspective and
130 Journal of Qur’anic Studies

would not delve too deeply into matters pertaining to exoteric exegesis. ∑adr� states
that he will pay attention to the fine points of Arabic only insofar as they relate to
esoteric exegesis.16 He notes that excessive concern with language is characteristic
of the approach of the exoteric scholars who ‘have the outward (÷�hir) and the legal
aspects (˛add), whereas we have the inward aspect (b�†in) and the transcendent
perspective (mu††alafi/ma†lafi)! It has been said, “He who comments [upon the
Qur’an] from his own opinion has concealed the truth (fa-qad kafara)”.’17 ∑adr� then
provides us with a theoretical definition of ta√wıl:18

As for esoteric interpretation (ta√wıl), it does not spare nor leave

[anything out] (l� tubqı wa-l� tadhar) [Q. 74:28], for it comes –
thanks be to God! – as a discourse (kal�m) in which there is no
crookedness, nor can doubt or confusion come upon it.

He goes on to addresses his readers in the following manner:20

O intelligent, discerning one! If you want to investigate the science of

the Qur’an, the wisdom of God and the principles of faith – that is,
faith in God, His angels, books, messengers and the Final Day – then
you need to return to the guardians (˛afa÷a) of the secrets of the
Qur’an and its meanings, seek out its folk and its bearers and ask the
‘people of remembrance’ about its contents. As He – exalted is His
name – says, Ask the people of remembrance if you do not know [Q.
16:43], just as, with the rest of the arts and sciences, you would seek
out their folk.

It is the inner purity of the ‘people of remembrance’ which makes them receptacles
for the secrets of the holy Book. They have died to themselves and live in God. To
this effect ∑adr� cites an unnamed sage, and then, in the following order, Plato,
Jesus, the Prophet Mu˛ammad and fiAlı ibn Abı ‡�lib. Commenting upon the saying
attributed to fiAlı, ‘Verily God loves courage, even if it be in the slaying of a snake’,
∑adr� says: 21

There is no snake like your soul, so slay it and purify it of the stain of
its false beliefs and ugly opinions; or, subjugate it until it becomes a
muslim in your hand. First cast it aside like the staff of Moses, then
pick it up with your right hand after it has returned to its primordial
nature (sıratih� al-ül�)22 and original disposition (fi†ratih� al-
aßliyya). It shall then live an intellectual life, striving for the Return
(al-mafi�d) and the Final Abode (al-mathw�).

∑adr� then advises those seeking knowledge of the Qur’an but who do not have
access to any of the ‘people of remembrance’:23
 Notes, Reports and Correspondence 131

O you in pursuit of the Real and the science of the First and the Last!
If none of the folk of this kind – whom you can ask concerning the
goal of the Qur’anic sciences – are destined for you, then you should
study this book. It contains beneficial principles (qaw�nın n�fifia)
pertaining to the sciences of revelation [and] is comprehensive in its
foundations, which allude to the secrets of esoteric interpretation (al-
mu˛ı† bi-qaw�fiidihi mushıra il� asr�r al-ta√wıl).

The Maf�tı˛, therefore, does not introduce each individual tafsır. Rather, it
introduces the basic esoteric principles underlying the commentaries themselves. In
other words, the Maf�tı˛, in keeping with its title, provides the keys which will allow
one to access the hermeneutical perspective ∑adr� adopts in his Qur’an
commentaries.

MOHAMMED RUSTOM

NOTES
1 I list here – to the best of my knowledge – the secondary literature pertaining to ∑adr�’s
work on the Qur’an: F�†ima Mu˛ammad ◊r�nı, ‘Ta†�buq-i mad�rij-i Qur√�n wa-mafirij-i
ins�n az man÷ar-i ßadr-i muta√allihın’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 32 (1381 Sh), pp. 46–52;
F�†ima Mu˛ammad ◊r�nı, ‘Mab�nı-yi fiirf�nı-yi ta√wıl-i Qur√�n az man÷ar-i ßadr-i
muta√allihın’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 42 (1384 Sh), pp. 63–74; Sayyid Jal�l al-Dın
◊shtiy�nı’s, ‘Muqaddima’ in Mull� ∑adr� Shır�zı, Sah ris�lah-yi falsafı, ed. Sayyid Jal�l al-
Dın ◊shtiy�nı, 2nd edn (Tehran: Markazı-yi Intish�r�t-i Daftar-i Tablıgh�t-i Isl�mı, 1379 Sh),
pp. 77–180; Mudabbir Azizi, ‘Mull� ∑adr�’s Gnostic Approach Towards the Qur√�nic Verses’
in Islam-West Philosophical Dialogue: The Papers Presented at the World Congress on Mull�
∑adr� (May, 1999, Tehran) (Tehran: Sadra Islamic Philosophy Research Institute, 2005), vol.
10 ‘Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith’, pp. 445–66; Mu˛ammad Bıdhandı, ‘Barrası wa-ta˛lıl-i
barkhı ta√ammul�t-i ta√wılı-yi Mull� ∑adr� dar kit�b wa-sunnat’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 38
(1383 Sh), pp. 4–16; Mußtaf� Burujirdı, ‘Ta√thır-i Qur√�n-i karım dar shaklgırı-yi ˛ikmat-i
mutafi�liya’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 20 (1379 Sh), pp. 57–60; David Dakake, Defining
Ambiguity: Early and Classical Commentary on the Mutash�bih Verses of the Qur√�n, PhD
thesis in progress (Temple University); Abü’l-Q�sim ˘usayn Düst, ‘˘urüf-i munqa†ifia-yi
Qur√�n dar ˛ikmat-i mutafi�liya-yi Mull� ∑adr�’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 36 (1383 Sh), pp.
58–63; Marcia Hermansen, ‘Mull� ∑adr�’s Commentary upon the Light Verse (◊yat al-Nür
24:35)’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 409–28; Christian Jambet, L’acte d’être: la
philosophie de la révélation chez Mollâ Sadrâ (Paris: Fayard, 2002), passim, now available in
English as Jeff Fort (tr.), The Act of Being: The Philosophy of Revelation in Mull� Sadr�,
(Brooklyn: Zone Books, 2006); Ibrahim Kalin, ‘An Annotated Bibliography of the Works of
Mull� ∑adr� with a Brief Account of His Life’, Islamic Studies 42:1 (2003) (under the heading
‘Works in the Field of Transmitted Sciences’); Shigeru Kamada, ‘Mull� ∑adr� Between
Mystical Philosophy and Qur√�n Interpretation through his Commentary on the “Chapter of
the Earthquake”’, International Journal of Asian Studies 2:2 (2005), pp. 275–89; Mustafa
Khalili, ‘Mull� ∑adr� on Resurrection’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 295–318 (deals
with ∑adr�’s Tafsır Sürat al-Sajda in passing); Sayyid Muhammad Khamenei, Principles of
Interpretation and Qur√�nic Hermeneutics According to Mull� ∑adr� (London: Islamic
Studies Press, 1999), which is a collection of two of the author’s previously published articles:
‘Ußül-i tafsırı wa-hirminütık-i Qur√�nı nazd-i Mull� ∑adr�’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 18
132 Journal of Qur’anic Studies

(1378 Sh), pp. 64–71, and ‘Fahm-i kal�m-i Khud� dar maktab-i Mull� ∑adr�’, Khirad-
N�mah-yi ∑adr� 31 (1382 Sh), pp. 19–25; Mu˛ammad Khw�jawı, Law�mifi al-fi�rifın fı shar˛
a˛w�l ßadr al-muta√allihın (Tehran: ◊riyan Press, 1987), pp. 107–27; Mu˛ammad Khw�jawı,
‘Taqdım’ in Mull� ∑adr� Shır�zı, Tafsır al-Qur√�n al-karım, ed. Mu˛ammad Khw�jawı (7
vols, Qum: Intish�r�t-i Bıd�r, 1987–90), vol. 1, pp. 108–11, pp. 118–28; Annabel Keeler,
‘Mull� ∑adr�’s Commentary on Sürat al-Sajda’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 343–56;
Bilal Kuspinar, ‘Mull� ∑adr� on the Light-Verse’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 357–
68; Dihqan Mangabadi, ‘Mull� ∑adr�’s Method of Qur√�n Commentary’ in Eschatology,
Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 429–44; Abü’l-Q�sim Naküdiy�n Ißfah�nı, ‘Dıdg�h-i Mull� ∑adr�
pır�mün-i n�mh� wa-ßif�t-i Qur√�n’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 24 (1380 Sh), pp. 83–7; Seyyed
Hossein Nasr, ∑adr al-Dın Shır�zı and His Transcendent Theosophy: Background, Life and
nd
Works, 2 edn (Tehran: Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, 1997), pp. 125–35, also
available in Seyyed Hossein Nasr, ‘The Qur√�nic Commentaries of Mull� ∑adr�’ in
Consciousness and Reality: Studies in Memory of Toshihiko Izutsu, ed. Jal�l al-Dın ◊shtiy�nı
et al. (Leiden and New York: E.J. Brill, 1998), pp. 47–57; Seyyed Hossein Nasr, ‘Mull�
∑adr�: His Teachings’ in Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Oliver Leaman (eds), History of Islamic
Philosophy, reprint (London and New York: Routledge, 2001), pp. 656–7; Seyyed Hossein
Nasr, Islamic Philosophy from its Origins to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy
(Albany: State University of New York Press, 2006), pp. 224–29; Latimah Peerwani,
‘Qur√�nic Hermeneutics: The Views of ∑adr al-Dın Shır�zı’, BRIMES Proceedings (1991),
pp. 468–77; Latimah Peerwani (tr.), On the Hermeneutics of the Light Verse of the Qur√�n
(London: Islamic College for Advanced Studies, 2004), Translator’s Introduction, pp. 9–32;
Latimah Peerwani, ‘Mull� ∑adr� Shır�zı on the Hermeneutics of the Qur√�n: His
Philosophical Meditation’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 369–90; Ali Zamani
Qumshai, ‘Mull� ∑adr� on Eschatology’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 167–74; fiAlı
Arshad Rabb�˛ı, ‘Ta√thır�t-i muthbat wa-y� manfı-yi falsafa-yi ∑adr� dar fahm-i ü az �y�t-i
Qur√�n’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 35 (1383 Sh), pp. 50–8; Hasan Sa‘idi, ‘Illumination,
Unveiling and Intuition in Mull� ∑adr�’s Qur√�nic Commentary’ in Eschatology, Exegesis,
Hadith, pp. 519–38; Mohsen Mahmoud Saleh, The Verse of Light: A Study of Mull� ∑adr�’s
Philosophical Qur√�n Exegesis, unpublished PhD thesis (Temple University, 1994), pp. 1–83,
pp. 237–9; Mohsen Mahmoud Saleh, ‘Being: The Light of Lights (An Analysis of Mull�
∑adr�’s Commentary on the Verse of Light)’ in Eschatology, Exegesis, Hadith, pp. 321–42;
Sayyid Sadr al-Din Tahiri, ‘Guz�rashı az taf�sır’, Khirad-N�mah-yi ∑adr� 1 (1374 Sh), pp.
57–63; Sayyid Sadr al-Din Tahiri, ‘A Critical Study of Resurrection in the Qur√�nic
Commentary and Philosophical Ideas of ∑adr al-Muta√allihın’ in Eschatology, Exegesis,
Hadith, pp. 45–76.
2 Mull� ∑adr� Shır�zı, Maf�tı˛ al-ghayb, ed. Mu˛ammad Khw�jawı, reprint (Beirut:
Mu√assasat al-Ta√rıkh al-fiArabı, 2002).
3 Mulla ∑adr�, Asr�r al-�y�t wa-anw�r al-bayyin�t, ed. Mu˛ammad Khw�jawı (Beirut:
D�r al-∑afwa, 1993).
4 This work is to be found in ∑adr�, Sah ris�la-yi falsafı, pp. 257–84. ∑adr�’s
Mutash�bih�t al-Qur√�n is translated as an appendix in Dakake, Defining Ambiguity.
5 This work is yet to find its way into a critical edition. For its extant manuscripts, see
Nahıd B�qirı Khurramdashtı, Kit�b shin�sı-yi j�mfi-i Mull� ∑adr� (Tehran: Buny�d-i ˘ikmat-i
Isl�mı-yi ∑adr�, 1999), p. 74.
6 ∑adr�’s seven-volume Tafsır contains all of his commentaries with the exception of his
Tafsır Sürat al-Taw˛ıd, which is to be found in ∑adr�, Majmüfia al-ras�√il al-falsafiyya, ed.
˘�mid N�jı Ißfh�nı, reprint (Beirut: D�r I˛y�√ Tur�th al-fiArabı, 2001), pp. 429–72, originally
published as Majmüfia-yi ras�√il-i falsafı-yi ßadr al-muta√allihın (Tehran: Intish�r�t-i ˘ikmat,
1375 Sh), pp. 395–439. Khw�jawı feels that this commentary cannot be attributed to ∑adr�,
which is why it is not included in his edition of ∑adr�’s Tafsır (see Khw�jawı, ‘Taqdım’ in
 Notes, Reports and Correspondence 133

∑adr�, Tafsır, vol. 1, p. 118). For summaries of Mull� ∑adr�’s works dedicated to the Qur’an
and its sciences, see Kalin, ‘An Annotated Bibliography’; Nasr, ∑adr al-Dın Shır�zı, pp. 126–
8; Peerwani (tr.), On the Hermeneutics, pp. 11–12. Of all of ∑adr�’s Qur’an commentaries
proper, only his commentary on the Light Verse has been translated into English (see
Peerwani (tr.), On the Hermeneutics. ∑adr�’s commentary on this aya is also translated in
Saleh, The Verse of Light, pp. 84–236).
7 See Nasr, ∑adr al-Dın Shır�zı, pp. 125–6; Peerwani (tr.), On the Hermeneutics, pp. 28–9.
8 Nasr, ∑adr al-Dın Shır�zı, pp. 127; Peerwani (tr.), On the Hermeneutics, pp. 11; Saleh,
The Verse of Light, pp. 42. Cf. Khw�jawı, ‘Taqdım’ in ∑adr�, Tafsır, vol. 1, p. 109; Khw�jawı,
Law�mifi al-fi�rifın, p. 123.
9 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 77.
10 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 77.
11 See Khw�jawı, ‘Taqdım’ in ∑adr�, Tafsır, vol. 1, pp. 108–11. For a corrective to
Khw�jawı’s dating of one of ∑adr�’s taf�sır, see the ‘Translator’s Introduction’ in Mull�
∑adr�, The Elixir of the Gnostics, tr. William Chittick (Provo: Brigham Young University
Press, 2003), pp. xix–xx.
12 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, pp. 76–7.
13 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 78.
14 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 79.
15 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 79.
16 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 79.
17 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 79. Notice ∑adr�’s use of the famous tradition – often attributed to
either Ibn Masfiüd, fiAlı, or Jafifar al-∑�diq – concerning the ‘senses’ of scripture. For a survey
of the reception of this tradition and its interpretation by both ∑üfı and non-∑üfı authors, see
Kristin Zahra Sands, ∑üfı Commentaries on the Qur√�n in Classical Islam (Abingdon and
New York: Routledge, 2006), pp. 8–13.
18 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 79.
19 For fiAbd al-Razz�q K�sh�nı’s (d. 736/1335) use of this aya and the above-cited tradition
in the introduction to his ∑üfı tafsır, see Mahmoud Ayoub, The Qur’an and its Interpreters (2
vols, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1981), vol. 1, p. 5.
20 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 79.
21 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 81.
22 This phrase harks back to Q. 20:21, where sıra takes the accusative case ending.
23 ∑adr�, Maf�tı˛, p. 81.