Triumph of Mercy

Discusses philosopher Mulla Sadra's commentary on the opening chapter of the Qur'an.Winner of the 21st International Book of the Year Prize in IranThis book investigates the convergence of philosophy, scriptural exegesis, and mysticism in the thought of the celebrated Islamic philosopher Mulla Sadra (d. 1050/1640). Through a careful presentation of the theoretical and practical dimensions of Sadra's Qur'anic hermeneutics, Mohammed Rustom highlights the manner in which Sadra offers a penetrating metaphysical commentary upon the Fatiha, the chapter of the Qur'an that occupies central importance in Muslim daily life. Engaging such medieval intellectual giants as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606/1210) and Ibn 'Arabi (d. 638/1240) on the one hand, and the wider disciplines of philosophy, theology, Sufism, and Qur'anic exegesis on the other, Sadra's commentary upon the Fatiha provides him with the opportunity to modify and recast many of his philosophical positions within a scripture-based framework. He thereby reveals himself to be a profound religious thinker who, among other things, argues for the salvation of all human beings in the afterlife.