The Nature of Religion in Viewpoints of Sayyed Heydar Amoli and William James

The ultimate aim of religion is to illumination of human being in light of knowledge and proximity to God. The truth and Path constitute the kernel of religion and Sharia its shell.
To Sayyed Heydar Amoli the supreme purpose of religion is monotheism and in terms of the People of gnosis the attainment of the status of “annihilation in Allah”.
In James’s view religion deals with the most profound moment of individuals and at same time is concerned with the very center of reality. The present article is an attempt to examine the views of these two philosophers on religion and make a comparison of their ideas on mystical and religious experiences.