A Crıtıcal Approach to the Literature of Mulla Sadra

Abstract

Literature reviews are crucial for accurately approaching the subjects under investigation because they highlight existing research and identify knowledge gaps. Consequently, the quality and depth of any research significantly depend on a thorough literature review. Within this framework, comprehensive and qualitative literature reviews on Mulla Sadrâ, a prominent 17th-century Islamic philosopher, become essential due to the broad scope and interdisciplinary nature of his work. His most important characteristic is his synthetic approach between different disciplines. In particular, his critical, eclectic, and synthetic approach to philosophy, theology, and mysticism has earned him a unique position within the Islamic intellectual tradition. Writing his works in a geography dominated by Illuminationist thought, Mulla Sadrâ also closely engaged with Peripatetic philosophy and reflected this understanding in his works. To a large extent, the Transcendent Wisdom school, bearing traces of Illuminationist philosophy, reflects Mulla Sadrâ’s intellectual world. This school of thought, which addresses multiple scientific disciplines, attracts significant scholarly attention. The striking and interdisciplinary nature of Mulla Sadrâ’s ideas has led to extensive literature across various academic fields, including philosophy, theology, mysticism, exegesis, and literature. This has resulted in an expansive body of literature globally, including within Turkish academia. However, despite this attention, the Turkish literature on Mulla Sadrâ has not reached a satisfactory level. This article examines the underlying reasons for this insufficiency and explores the development of Mulla Sadrâ literature in Turkish scholarship chronologically. Tracing the historical trajectory of Turkish studies on Mulla Sadrâ is necessary because these works emerged relatively late compared to studies on other Islamic philosophers. Moreover, the intermittent nature of these scholarly efforts makes the chronological approach particularly relevant. In this context, encyclopedia entries, books, book chapters, theses, scholarly articles, and translation activities related to Mulla Sadrâ in Turkish literature are critically and holistically analyzed.

Keywords: Mulla Sadrâ, Transcendent Wisdom, Translation Activity, Literature, Holistic Approach.