Philosophical Analysis of Sin in Light of the Relationship Between the Intellect and the Intelligible

The issue of sin is among the most fundamental topics in religious and moral thought. One less attended to but highly essential approach in the philosophical analysis of sin is examining the type of relationship between the intellect (ʿāqil) and the intelligible (maʿqūl). This relationship has been interpreted in a fundamentally dual manner across different Islamic philosophical systems, particularly by two pivotal figures: Ibn Sīnā and Mullā Ṣadrā. In Ibn Sīnā's philosophical system, knowledge is an annexed and accidental state for the soul—something that accrues to it accidentally, not something identical with its essence. In contrast, Mullā Ṣadrā considers the relationship between intellect and intelligible as an existential union (ittiḥād wujūdī), meaning that perceptual forms unite with the soul and become part of its existence.Accordingly, in Ibn Sīnā's view, sin is external to the soul's substance and attached to it. Since sin does not penetrate the soul's substantial level, repentance and reform are possible through strengthening the practical intellect and self- vigilance. In Mullā Ṣadrā's view, however, sin constitutes an existential deficiency in the soul that affects human existence and nature. Since sin has penetrated from the level of behavior to the level of existence, repentance is not mere regret but requires intense purification, precise self-accounting, and continuous struggle.Consequently, in the realm of education, Ibn Sīnā—relying on the primacy of theory over practice and the distinction between theoretical and practical faculties—views the educational process as essentially oriented toward teaching intellectual concepts and cultivating the ability to apply these universals to particular instances. In contrast, Mullā Ṣadrā, with a unitive perspective that links theory and practice, considers education to transcend mere knowledge transmission. He believes that pure theory is impossible without the support of righteous action, and authentic action without the illumination derived from presential knowledge will remain superficial and external.