Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Theology and Islamic Studies, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Khorramabad, Iran
Abstract
At first glance, the concept of prophecy seems to be a purely theological and religious issue, and perhaps this is because it has been less addressed in philosophy as an independent intellectual issue. However, a close look at Ibn Sina's philosophy, considering his analysis of existence, man, society, and the nature of revelation, shows that it is a completely rational matter based on rational necessity. With his description of prophecy, he claims that a prophet is a perfect human being, possessing all possible perfections, who, by connecting to the active intellect, achieves the acquisition of genuine truths. He considers the existence of a prophet to be essential in three respects; first, from a social perspective, as a factor for the guidance and perfection of society, second, as a necessary element for the realization of a better system with regard to divine providence, and third, because from an epistemological perspective, the perception of genuine truth necessarily requires the perception of divine knowledge. This essay aims to examine, from a descriptive-analytical perspective, the prominence of the discussion of prophecy, especially its necessity, in the works of Ibn Sina, and to formulate three arguments on this subject through his works.
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