The Symbolism of Ancient Iranian Concepts in Suhrawardī’s Persian Treatises

Subject Areas : Christianity

رضا اسدپور ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2010-08-14 Accepted : 2010-09-17 Published : 2010-03-21

Keywords: Suhrawardī, Ishrāqī theosophy, Khusrawānī theosophy, Kaykhusru, Sīmurgh, Zāl, Rustam, Isfandīyār,

Abstract :

the Iranian philosopher, Sufi, martyr and the founder of Ishrāqītheosophy. He could be considered as the restorer of the theosophy ofFahlawīyūn or the Khusrawānī theosophy of ancient Iran. By using theZoroastrian sources and focusing on Greek philosophy, Suhrawardīcombines these two eastern and western currents of philosophy inIslamic mysticism. He interprets these teachings not only in hisimportant Arabic works such as Hikmat al-ishrāq (Theosophy ofIllumination), but also in his Persian works which are mostly symbolicmysticaltreatises. In these Persian treaties, he presents the principals ofKhusrawānī theosophy by using the symbolic functions of mythicalcharacters of ancient Iran, such as Firiydūn, Kaykhusru, Sīmurgh, Zāl,Rustam and Isfandīyār. His narrations of these mythical characters arebased on the previous works such as Shāhnāmah. However, in somepoints there are great differences between his narrations and theprevious ones, so much so that we can mention him as the creator ofthese new narrations. The climax of this innovation is in the story of thestruggle between Rustam and Isfandīyār. This change helps Suhrawardīto express his ideas through the symbolic functions of these characters,and these symbols are only understandable to those who are acquaintedwith Ishrāqī theosophy and mysticism. This article deals with thesesymbols and interprets their roles in Persian treatises of Shaykh-i Ishrāqsuch as ‘Aql-i surkh, Alwāh-i ‘Imādī, Lughat-i Mūrān and Safīr-iSīmurgh.