The Way God’s Immediate Knowledge Relates to Material Beings from Suhrawardi’s Point of View

Document Type : Scientific-research

Author

Faculty of Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch

Abstract

God’s knowledge is an issue which has long been the subject of discussion among philosophers.  Among these philosophers, Suhrawardi believes that God is the cause of material beings. So, like any other causal agent, he knows his creatures. Adopting an analytical method and with the aim of accounting for God’s knowledge over his creatures from Suhrawardi’s point of view, the present paper first deals with the knowledge of non-existent possible material beings and explains that, due to their existence in the celestial sphere, they are true. This is followed by an account of knowledge over existent material beings; possibilities whose presential material existence makes them the subject of God’s knowledge. As God is the illuminator of all lights and is considered the essence of light, he makes them visible and perceivable through illumination.

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