Devil’s Advocate: ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s Defence of Iblis in Context
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Abstract
The writings of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (d. 525/1131) anticipate some of the major trends that characterize the post-Avicennan ḥikmat tradition. But modern scholarship has as of yet not completely come to grips with the far-reaching implications of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s teachings, many of which are framed in terms of the symbolic language and imagery of the Persian Sufi school of passionate love (madhhab-i ʿishq) and the defence of the devil’s monotheism (tawḥīd-i Iblīs). The focus in this article will be upon this latter aspect of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s Sufi doctrine. Upon closer inspection, his “Satanology” (for lack of a better term) turns out to not only be concerned with a defence of the devil as a tragic, fallen lover of God; it is also intimately related to our author’s robust theodicy, as well as his theory of human freedom and constraint. At the same time, ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s defence of Iblis demonstrates his understanding of philosophical and theological discourse as themselves symbolic representations of another, higher form of being and knowing.
Résumé
Les écrits de ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (m. 525/1131) anticipent certaines des grandes tendances qui caractérisent la tradition de la ḥikma post-avicennienne. L’érudition moderne n’a cependant pas encore pris complètement la mesure des implications profondes des enseignements de ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt – dont nombre d’entre elles sont appréhendées en termes de langage symbolique et d’imagerie de l’école soufie persane de l’amour-passion (madhhab-i ‘ishq) – et de la défense du monothéisme du Diable (tawḥīd-i Iblīs). Dans cet article, l’accent sera mis sur ce dernier aspect de la doctrine soufie de ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt. Sa « satanologie » (faute d’un meilleur vocable), à y regarder de près, s’avère non seulement préoccupée de la défense du Diable en tant qu’amant tragique et déchu de Dieu, mais également liée de façon intime à la vigoureuse théodicée de notre auteur ainsi qu’à sa théorie de la liberté et des contraintes humaines. En même temps, la défense d’Iblis par ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt atteste sa compréhension du discours philosophique et théologique en tant que représentation symbolique d’une autre forme plus élevée d’être et de connaître.
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Devil’s Advocate: ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s Defence of Iblis in Context
In: Studia IslamicaSearch for other papers by Mohammed Rustom in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The writings of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (d. 525/1131) anticipate some of the major trends that characterize the post-Avicennan ḥikmat tradition. But modern scholarship has as of yet not completely come to grips with the far-reaching implications of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s teachings, many of which are framed in terms of the symbolic language and imagery of the Persian Sufi school of passionate love (madhhab-i ʿishq) and the defence of the devil’s monotheism (tawḥīd-i Iblīs). The focus in this article will be upon this latter aspect of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s Sufi doctrine. Upon closer inspection, his “Satanology” (for lack of a better term) turns out to not only be concerned with a defence of the devil as a tragic, fallen lover of God; it is also intimately related to our author’s robust theodicy, as well as his theory of human freedom and constraint. At the same time, ʿAyn al-Quḍāt’s defence of Iblis demonstrates his understanding of philosophical and theological discourse as themselves symbolic representations of another, higher form of being and knowing.
Résumé
Les écrits de ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī (m. 525/1131) anticipent certaines des grandes tendances qui caractérisent la tradition de la ḥikma post-avicennienne. L’érudition moderne n’a cependant pas encore pris complètement la mesure des implications profondes des enseignements de ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt – dont nombre d’entre elles sont appréhendées en termes de langage symbolique et d’imagerie de l’école soufie persane de l’amour-passion (madhhab-i ‘ishq) – et de la défense du monothéisme du Diable (tawḥīd-i Iblīs). Dans cet article, l’accent sera mis sur ce dernier aspect de la doctrine soufie de ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt. Sa « satanologie » (faute d’un meilleur vocable), à y regarder de près, s’avère non seulement préoccupée de la défense du Diable en tant qu’amant tragique et déchu de Dieu, mais également liée de façon intime à la vigoureuse théodicée de notre auteur ainsi qu’à sa théorie de la liberté et des contraintes humaines. En même temps, la défense d’Iblis par ‘Ayn al-Quḍāt atteste sa compréhension du discours philosophique et théologique en tant que représentation symbolique d’une autre forme plus élevée d’être et de connaître.
