History of Islamic Philosophy

History of Islamic Philosophy

The Critique of Reason in Understanding the Metaphysical: A Historical Review of Islamic Perspectives from Textualism to Tafkik, with Emphasis on the Views of Mirza Mahdi Isfahani

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
meisam khosravifard 1
Hasan Moalemi 2
mohammad keivanfar 3
Emdad Touran 4
1 "PhD student in Islamic Philosophy and Theology at the University of Religions and Denominations, and a certified teacher at the Ministry of Education."
2 Faculty Member of Baqir Al-Uloom University.
3 Faculty Member of University of Religions and Denominations.
4 Assistant Professor of University of Religions and Denominations.
10.22034/hpi.2025.530956.1155
Abstract
This study, using a descriptive-analytical method, explores the position of Mirza Mehdi Esfahani’s thought within the historical evolution of critiques concerning the validity of rational cognition in the domain of metaphysics. By categorizing five historical periods and examining the ideas of rationality-restricting thinkers, the research identifies three major intellectual currents: text-based, intuition-based, and integrative. A comparative analysis shows that Esfahani’s theories predominantly draw upon the views of earlier text-based scholars. Therefore, his perspective cannot be regarded as entirely novel or groundbreaking. Continuing the tradition of critiquing philosophical rationalism, Esfahani sought to present a distinct framework regarding the function of reason in religious law (termed “auditory reason”), along with introducing the concept of “luminous reason and knowledge.” Through this, he attempted to offer a different model for organizing the relationship between reason and revelation. This framework, while committed to the authority of religious texts, strategically leverages rational capacities to avoid the extremes of purely textualist movements such as Akhbarism. A critical evaluation of Esfahani’s epistemological system reveals significant internal tensions between theory (absolute negation of demonstrative reasoning) and practice (extensive use of argumentation), as well as various ambiguities in explaining the proposed epistemological model. Findings indicate that offering a coherent religious epistemological system is inevitably dependent on harnessing the analytical capacities of reason.
Keywords
History of epistemology
invalidity
rational cognition
metaphysics
Mirza Mahdi Esfahani
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  • Receive Date 22 June 2025
  • Revise Date 21 July 2025
  • Accept Date 22 July 2025