Abstract

In this paper, a number of general issues have been presented in order to familiarize readers with Mulla Sadra's philosophy of beauty and aesthetics and, in this way, clarify his gnostic views. It reveals that, like other prominent figures of Iranian and Islamic gnosis and sufism, particularly those of the school of love and beauty, Mulla Sadra also dealt with the issue of beauty and viewed the Almighty Truth as absolute beauty. He also maintained that love is born out of beauty. He considers God to be the true love, the true lover, and the true beloved and, following the theory of the "oneness of being", introduced the whole being as the manifestation and image of that Infinite Beauty. He believed that, like in existence and light, there are certain levels that are manifested in the perfect man after the Truth and continue down to the lowest levels of being. For him, every single particle of being enjoys beauty. He also believed that all terrestrial and metaphorical loves and beauties, provided that they walk in the divine route, are valuable.