Self-Knowledge as a Basis for Knowing God in the Thought System of Ibn Arabi and Mulla Sadra

Self-knowledge is among the most important discussions emphasized by philosophers and mystics. It has been much more important because of its relation to knowing the Lord. To understand and present a precise interpretation of the way one should go from knowing one’s soul to knowing one’s God, Muslim thinkers and mystics have made great efforts. Muhyi-ddin Arabi and Mulla Sadra, with two philosophical and mystic approaches, have regarded self-knowledge as the best way to achieve the reality of existence and knowing God. In the present article, we have tried – through a brief look at theoretical bases and analysis of epistemological views of these two philosophers – to investigate the reason and the method of going from knowing one’s self to knowing God in their views in order to find points of agreement and disagreement between those views and the relationship between them in regard with this specific subject. In spite of the fact that Mulla Sadra accepts Ibn Arabi’s model for going from knowing one’s self to knowing God, he seeks to present proofs for mystical basis of Muhyuddin, rereading them on the basis of his own philosophical principles.