Risālat Fi Al-Arzāgh

Risålat Fi Al-Arzågh is one of the Avicenna’s treatises which has been attributed to him in all Avicenna’s bibliographies. About twenty copies of this treatise have been identified and there is no doubt in the authenticity of attributing it to him. In the manuscripts marked by ص and ث, the treatise has been named by Risålat Fi Al-Arzågh, this title basically is derived from its topic related to the discussion of Arzågh. However, in the manuscript م, the treatise has been called Risålat Fi Al-Lutf Al-Khafi which has come from the first expression of the treatise as follows: “Several people who were not able to view the hidden aspect of subtitle Divine Wisdom…” the treatise also has been named Taghdìr Al-Arzågh and Risålat Fi Vujĩd Al-‘adl Fi Al-Makhlĩghåt. In any case, it is obvious that treatise title is not Avicenna’s one. Regarding motive for composing the treatise, it is described in the manuscript ص as the report of a conversation occurred between a theologian and Avicenna in the treatise. However, in the manuscript ث the treatise has been considered as Avicenna’s answer to Abu Said Abelkhayr’s request. If this is correct, it should be regarded as one of the conversation topics between the philosophy and the sufi. Therefore it would be like some other conversations which have gradually been posed as an independent treatise because of the importance of subject. The content of the treatise concerns some questions on Divine Justice and its relation to the human differences in enjoying it, a topic which still is discussed by philosophers and theologians based on their type of thinking.