Convergence and Divergence of Ontology of Islamic Philosophy and Christian Phenomenological Theology on the Problem of Knowing God (Case Study: Mulla Sadra and Jean-Luc Marion)

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Theoretical Foundations and Islamic Ethics, Faculty of Education and Islamic Thought, University of Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This article presents a comparative study of the knowledge of God and divine revelation in the philosophies of Mulla Sadra and Jean-Luc Marion. It examines the convergences and divergences between these two thinkers concerning the possibility of knowing God, the nature of divine manifestation, and the role of immediate experience in religious cognition. Furthermore, it explores the possibility of establishing a constructive dialogue between Islamic philosophy and contemporary Continental phenomenology despite their different metaphysical and theological backgrounds. Method: The research adopts a comparative-analytical method based on the primary works of Mulla Sadra and Jean-Luc Marion, together with relevant secondary literature. It comparatively analyzes the concepts of presential knowledge (al-'ilm al-ḥuḍūrī), divine manifestation (tajallī), and the primacy of existence in Mulla Sadra's philosophy alongside Marion's notions of givenness, saturated phenomenon, and revelation. Findings: The findings indicate that both philosophers reject reducing the knowledge of God to purely conceptual or representational thinking and instead emphasize the immediacy of divine disclosure. However, they develop this shared concern from different philosophical perspectives. Mulla Sadra interprets divine knowledge within a metaphysical framework grounded in the primacy of existence and the reality of manifestation, whereas Marion explains revelation phenomenologically as a saturated phenomenon that exceeds conceptual determination. This comparison demonstrates that, despite their methodological differences, both approaches offer significant insights into the relationship between transcendence, manifestation, and religious experience, thereby providing a fruitful basis for comparative philosophical inquiry. Conclusion: The study concludes that the comparison of Mulla Sadra's Transcendent Philosophy and Marion's phenomenology contributes to a deeper understanding of the knowledge of God by clarifying both their common concerns and their fundamental differences. It also highlights the potential for a meaningful philosophical dialogue between Islamic philosophy and contemporary Continental thought, enriching comparative philosophy of religion and expanding contemporary discussions of divine revelation and religious experience.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 20 November 2025
  • Revise Date: 11 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 25 July 2026

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