Mulla Sadra on the Position of the Absolute One in Theoretical Mysticism (An examination)

Being touched by theoretical mysticism, Mulla Sadra used mystical terms for specific meanings and concepts as per his own constituted principles. Throwing light on the limits and scopes of meanings of mystical terms in transcendent theosophy helps us specify Mulla Sadra’s intended meaning and avoid the fallacy of equivocation. One of the mystical terms spotted in Mulla Sadra’s works is ahadiyyat (the Absolute One). Ahadiyyat, according to the most researchers on theoretical mysticism, concerns the manifestation and determination of the One Almighty in His own Divinity. The study of his works proves that, like other mystics, Mulla Sadra considers the Holy Essence as the absolute existence none-conditioned at the stage of division. Contrary to most mystics, however, he does not consider Ahadiyyat as the manifestation of the Holy Essence. Rather, he regards it as a consideration mingled in the Essence, not as a determination outside the Essence. That he unified Ahadiyyat with the Essence made him introduce the Essence of the Mystery of Mysteries none-conditioned at the stage of division as the real existence (Ens Realissimum) negatively-conditioned. He explains “negatively-conditioned” in a way that it is compatible with “none-conditioned at the stage of division” of the One; thus, the prima facie contradiction between “negatively- conditioned” and “none-conditioned at the stage of division” disappears.