The Theory of the Human Soul Evolving into an Angel or Devil in the Philosophy of the Ikhwân al-Safâ

Nusret Taş

Article Details

The Theory of the Human Soul Evolving into an Angel or Devil in the Philosophy of the Ikhwân al-Safâ

Authors:

Nusret Taş

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Din Felsefesi

Journal:

Tasavvur / Tekirdağ İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.301-331

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351341

pISSN:

2619-9130

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The subject of this study is the theory of the evolution of the human soul into an angel or a devil in the philosophy of the Ikhwân al-Safâ. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the views of the Ikhwân al-Safâ, in con-nection with their understanding of existence, regarding the process of the rise to the level of a higher species of soul when the bodies of the juzīparticular souls active in the sublunar world lose their functions, and especially the transition of human souls to the level of angelic or demonic souls with the death of their bodies, from an academic perspective. The Ikhwân al-Safâ advocates a theory in this regard that is incompatible with traditional Islamic belief. According to their understanding, the human soul, while it is with the body in this worldly life, becomes either an angel or a devil in potential, depending on its theoretical and practical competence. After death, that is, after separation from the body, it becomes either an an-gel or a devil in actuality. In order to establish this theory, the Ikhwân some-times resort to some Quranic verses and hadith narrations. Sometimes they try to present rationalphilosophical evidence based on reasonlogic. The main source of our study is the Arabic treatises and Turkish translations of the Ikhwân al-Safâ. During the preparation process, the treatises were examined, the obtained data were classified and evaluated. According to the literature research, our study is the first study in its field. Therefore, it has the potential to contribute to the field.

 The subject of this study is the theory of the evolution of the human soul into an angel or a devil in the philosophy of the Ikhwân al-Safâ. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the views of the Ikhwân al-Safâ, in con-nection with their understanding of existence, regarding the process of the rise to the level of a higher species of soul when the bodies of the juzīparticular souls active in the sublunar world lose their functions, and especially the transition of human souls to the level of angelic or demonic souls with the death of their bodies, from an academic perspective. The Ikhwân al-Safâ advocates a theory in this regard that is incompatible with traditional Islamic belief. According to their understanding, the human soul, while it is with the body in this worldly life, becomes either an angel or a devil in potential, depending on its theoretical and practical competence. After death, that is, after separation from the body, it becomes either an an-gel or a devil in actuality. In order to establish this theory, the Ikhwân some-times resort to some Quranic verses and hadith narrations. Sometimes they try to present rationalphilosophical evidence based on reasonlogic. The main source of our study is the Arabic treatises and Turkish translations of the Ikhwân al-Safâ. During the preparation process, the treatises were examined, the obtained data were classified and evaluated. According to the literature research, our study is the first study in its field. Therefore, it has the potential to contribute to the field.

 The subject of this study is the theory of the evolution of the human soul into an angel or a devil in the philosophy of the Ikhwân al-Safâ. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the views of the Ikhwân al-Safâ, in con-nection with their understanding of existence, regarding the process of the rise to the level of a higher species of soul when the bodies of the juzīparticular souls active in the sublunar world lose their functions, and especially the transition of human souls to the level of angelic or demonic souls with the death of their bodies, from an academic perspective. The Ikhwân al-Safâ advocates a theory in this regard that is incompatible with traditional Islamic belief. According to their understanding, the human soul, while it is with the body in this worldly life, becomes either an angel or a devil in potential, depending on its theoretical and practical competence. After death, that is, after separation from the body, it becomes either an an-gel or a devil in actuality. In order to establish this theory, the Ikhwân some-times resort to some Quranic verses and hadith narrations. Sometimes they try to present rationalphilosophical evidence based on reasonlogic. The main source of our study is the Arabic treatises and Turkish translations of the Ikhwân al-Safâ. During the preparation process, the treatises were examined, the obtained data were classified and evaluated. According to the literature research, our study is the first study in its field. Therefore, it has the potential to contribute to the field.

 Bu çalışmanın konusu, İhvân-ı Safâ felsefesinde insani nefsin evrimleşe-rek melek veya şeytan olma teorisidir. Çalışmanın amacı, İhvân-Safânın varlık anlayışıyla bağlantılı olarak savunduğu ay altı âlemdeki cüzîtikel cisimlerde etkin olan cüzîtikel nefislerin cisimleri işlevini yitirtince bir üst türün nefis mertebesine yükselme, özellikle insani nefislerin bedenlerinin ölümüyle birlikte melekî veya şeytani nefisler mertebesine geçiş süreciyle ilgili görüşlerini akademik bir bakış açısıyla değerlendirmektir. İhvân-ı Safâ, bu konuda geleneksel İslam inancıyla uyuşmayan bir teoriyi savunmaktadır. Onların anlayışına göre insan nefsinin bu dünya hayatında bedenle birlik-teyken teorik ve pratik yetkinliğine göre bilkuvve ya melek ya da şeytan olur. Ölümden, yani bedenden ayrıldıktan sonra ise bilfiil ya melek ya da şeytan olur. İhvân, bu teorisini temellendirmek için yerine göre bazen Kurân ayetleri ve hadis rivayetlerine başvurur. Bazen de aklamantığa dayalı rasyonelfelsefi kanıtlar sunmaya çalışır. Çalışmamızın temel kayna-ğı, İhvân-ı Safânın Arapça risaleleri ve Türkçe tercümeleridir. Hazırlık sü-recinde risaleler incelenmiş, elde edilen verilen tasnif edilerek değerlendiril-miştir. Yapılan literatür araştırmasına göre çalışmamız, alanında yapılan ilk çalışmadır. Bu nedenle alana katkı sunma potansiyelini taşımaktadır.

Article Details

The Theory of the Human Soul Evolving into an Angel or Devil in the Philosophy of the Ikhwân al-Safâ

Authors:

Nusret Taş

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Din Felsefesi

Journal:

Tasavvur / Tekirdağ İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.301-331

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351341

pISSN:

2619-9130

Philosophy of Religion

Ikhwân al-Safâ

Corporeal Existence

Spiritual Exis-tence

Soul

Angel

DevilDin Felsefesi

İhvân-ı Safâ

Cismani Varlık

Ruhani Varlık

Nefis

Melek

Şeytan

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Nusret Taş

Publisher: Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics: Din Felsefesi

Journal: Tasavvur / Tekirdağ İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.301-331

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001351341

pISSN: 2619-9130

Issues

Authors:

Nusret Taş

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Din Felsefesi

Journal:

Tasavvur / Tekirdağ İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.301-331

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351341

pISSN:

2619-9130