The Metaphysics and Cosmology of Process According to as̱̱ẖ̱-S̱̱ẖ̱ayḵ̱ẖ̱ ʾAḥmad al-ʾAḥsāʾī (1753‒1826): Observations in Wisdom [PDF]

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The Metaphysics and Cosmology of Process According to Shaykh ’Ah.mad al-’Ahs¯ a’¯i Critical Edition, Translation, and Analysis of Observations in Wisdom by Idris Samawi Hamid 1998



A dissertation submitted to the Department of Philosophy of State University of New York at Buffalo in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy



The Metaphysics and Cosmology of Process According to Shaykh ’Ah.mad al-’Ahs¯ a’¯i Critical Edition, Translation, and Analysis of Observations in Wisdom by Idris Samawi Hamid Abstract The subject of this study is the process metaphysics and cosmology of Shaykh ’Ah.mad ibn Zayn al-D¯in al-’Ah.s¯a’¯i (d. 1826), especially as outlined in al-Faw¯ a’id al-H . ikmiyyah (The Wisdom Observations), his philosophical epitome, which we have edited and translated. With Shaykh ’Ah.mad ended the cycle of the great and original philosophers of traditional Muslim civilization, a cycle that began with al-Kindi (d. 870). Shaykh ’Ah.mad belonged to the period of Muslim scholasticism that stemmed from the work of both the kal¯ am theologian Fakhr al-D¯in al-R¯az¯i (d. 1209) and the last great philosopher in the post-Hellenic tradition, Nas.¯ir al-D¯in al-T.u ¯ s¯i (d. 1274). In particular, Shaykh ’Ah.mad worked two centuries after Mulla S.adra (d. 1640–41). The latter, through his theory of motion in the category of substance, marked the beginning of a turn towards process philosophy in Muslim scholasticism, a turn marked by a still strict adherence to Peripatetic method. My general contention is that Shaykh ’Ah.mad, whose philosophy in part consists of a critique of Mulla S.adra, went beyond the confines of Muslim scholasticism and Peripatetic technique to develop a true process metaphysics and cosmology, in contrast with the more traditional substance metaphysics. i



This four-part study constitutes an investigation of an author and of a tradition that remains virtually unknown to Western philosophers. In Part I, we first give an account of the development and context of Muslim scholasticism. Then we give a brief account of the life, works, influence, and philosophical context of Shaykh ’Ah.mad. Finally, we discuss some problems of textual analysis and interpretation pertaining to the text of the Faw¯ a’id. Part II of this study is an analysis of what we consider to be some of the fundamental themes of the metaphysics and cosmology of Shaykh ’Ah.mad. We begin with an investigation and attempt to determine the author’s concept of metaphysics and its aim, object, method, and principles. Next we consider Shaykh ’Ah.mad’s theory of subsistence. We discuss the relation of that theory to his ontology of the fundamental reality of processes and acts as well as to what he considers to be the aim of metaphysics: cognizance of God and reality. We then discuss the application of the author’s theory of subsistence and of the ontology of acts and processes to the traditional distinctions of existence-essence and substance-accident. On the basis of our investigation, we claim to show that Shaykh ’Ah.mad’s system of thought is a true process metaphysics and cosmology. We end this part with a very brief comparison and contrast of select elements of the author’s ontology with corresponding elements in Whitehead’s metaphysics. Part III is our translation of the bulk of the Faw¯a’id, while Part IV contains our critical edition of the original twelve “faw¯ a -id” or “observations” penned by the author.



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To My parents the perfect cause of this work



Abbas Mirakhor the material cause



Sayyid Jalali the formal cause



’Ab¯u Abdill¯ah al-H . usayn (upon whom be peace!) the efficient and the final cause the gatherer and intersection of all causes . . .



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