REL 2300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Dream Vision, Active Intellect, Ibn Taymiyyah
Document Summary
Prophets: express truths in allegorical representation, necessary for common people. Philosophers: by intellectual advancement, attain higher understanding of revelation. Explaining prophethood with greek theories of the soul. Celestial spheres" emanations -> active intellect -> human knowledge. Faculties of prophethood shared in lesser degrees by all people. True prophets are philosophers, even if lacking formal education. Authority comes from reliable chains of knowledge transmission. Acceptance of unclear verses bi-la kayf (without asking how) And those firm in knowledge say, we believe in it" . Those firm in knowledge = the scholars grounded in transmitted knowledge. Interpretation of verses limited to explanations from muhammad and companions. Ahl al-hadith: no vip access to quran. 9th - century asceticism -> order centered around people of extraordinary piety. Diversity of beliefs, practices, relationships to orthodoxy and law. Once a reality without a name, now a name without a reality . Sufi intellectuals theorizing non textual, translational modes of knowledge.
