Ma`rifat Kalami

The basis of all knowledge is the knowledge of "existence". Molla Sadra considers knowledge a kind of existence and considers faith a kind of knowledge; therefore, following the theory of ‘analogical gradation’, he considers gradation in science and in faith as well. This means that the soul’s knowledge of religious issues is the same as its knowledge of philosophical and existential issues, and philosophical knowledge can be considered a kind of religious knowledge in this field. Therefore, existential truths such as God, prophet and Resurrection belong to philosophical knowledge or wisdom, which Molla Sadra considers their knowledge equivalent to religious or faith knowledge. Molla Sadra mentions different levels for this type of knowledge – according to analogical gradation- some of which are correct and some are incorrect. He believes the human soul gradually goes through the levels of perfection (in both philosophical knowledge and religious knowledge) and actualizes its potentialities, by going through different sensory, imaginary and intellectual levels, as well as acquiring different forms of acquired knowledge and intuitional knowledge. Along with other evidences such as the use of different names of wisdom, light and jurisprudence, this point shows that human beings achieve both philosophical and religious knowledge, as a result of perfection in their levels, which is a sign of the close connection between religious knowledge and philosophical knowledge.