Rereading Suhrawardi's Theory of the Heavens; A Response to the Dominance of Nature and Fatalism over Human Relations

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

Abstract

Some schools of thought and philosophy have explained human relations and the realm of politics under nature and the celestial system. In this idea, by presenting a completely passive understanding of man's position in existence and against nature, human affairs, especially the political realm, have become possible with the logic of fatalism and natural and celestial conditions. In contrast, some philosophers, especially Suhrawardi, have opposed the above idea and have tried to present an active and creative image of man in the system of nature, not only to give independence to the realm of politics against nature, but also to repair and develop the relations of the system of nature with the logic of the realm of politics. In this article, the author tries to address Suhrawardi's position on this matter using a descriptive-analytical method. For this purpose, first, Suhrawardi's description of the initial state in which celestial nature and the dominance of destiny are fundamental features is presented. An attempt is made to draw practical conclusions in the realm of politics using Suhrawardi's theoretical description of how the powerful man is realized, and his theoretical revolution regarding the independence of the realm of politics from nature and the celestial system, and also, above that, to determine the realm of politics as a platform for existential developments in the world of nature and celestial natures, is made. 

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 52 - Serial Number 52
Articles
52 Autumn 2025
November 2025
Pages 77-96

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