Mulla Sadra on How Plurality is Issued from Unity (An Examination)

The explanation how plurality of the world is issued from One Origin and the relation between plurality and unity have been one of the most challenging concerns of philosophers who proposed various explanations in their different schools of thought. Mulla Sadra has suggested his own particular viewpoint, too.     Having applied an analytic-descriptive method, the authors based their research on the assumption that Mulla Sadra’s explanation about the issue is different from that of many other philosophers. Mulla Sadra has explained the relation of concrete realities to Allah almighty through different keywords such as causality, manifestation, and modes (tasha’un). Their main aim is to draw a correct picture of issuance and to illustrate Mulla Sadra’s efforts in the course of his correct world-view based on his thoughts. The semantic explanation of plurality of the world from One Origin is one of findings of this paper.     Mulla Sadra has come up with two views standing in one line. In his first view and through the theory of gradation, Mulla Sadra considers the First Intellect as the first issued entity as the channel for other issued plurality. In his second and last view and along with mystics’ personal unity, he regards all other than Allah as the theophany from Him they are manifested all at once and that is the eExpanded eExistence and Breath of Clemency including all else than Him. Mulla Sadra, however, differs from mystics in that such theophany is stronger with Mulla Sadra but weaker and more shadowy with mystics.