معرفت کلامی

Earlier philosophers regarded the universe as consisting of three realms: the world of intellects (both longitudinal and lateral), the world of souls, and the material world. Suhrawardi, the founder of Illuminationist philosophy, however, through intuitive experience, identified an additional level of existence, which he termed the Imaginal World, or the Eighth Realm, thereby proposing four distinct levels in the hierarchy of being. He positioned the Imaginal World below the world of lights (comprising intellects and souls) and above the intermediate or material world, defining it as the realm of images and exemplary forms. Suhrawardi’s discovery of the Imaginal World opened new avenues in Islamic philosophy, offering rational explanations for issues that had previously challenged philosophers and theologians. Using an analytical and textual approach, based on Hikmat al-Ishraq and the commentaries on Illuminationist philosophy, this study first examines the role and status of the Imaginal World in Suhrawardi’s philosophical system, presenting a clear account of how its existence is established. It then explores aspects of prophethood that are explicable through the Imaginal World. The findings indicate that by demonstrating the existence of the Imaginal World, Suhrawardi was able to provide a philosophical foundation for certain prophetic phenomena, such as knowledge of the unseen, the vision of angels, miracles, and the Prophet’s ascension (Mi‘raj). Thus, Suhrawardi’s framework not only presents a novel interpretation of the hierarchy of existence but also offers a rational basis for understanding many religious phenomena, particularly those related to prophethood, within Islamic philosophy.