Religion and Philosophy in the Philosophy of Sadr Al-Din Al-Shirazi

The relationship between philosophy and religion is considered one of the most significant and complex issues in the history of human thought. In Islamic intellectual tradition, this problem has been actively discussed, particularly in the context of the relationship between reason and revelation. Whether there is a contradiction between philosophy and religion, or whether they should be regarded as different paths leading to the same truth, has occupied the minds of many Islamic philosophers. Among the prominent Muslim thinkers who addressed this issue, Sadr al-Din al-Shirazi, a major philosopher of the 17th-century Safavid period, stands out. This paper explores the relationship between religion and philosophy, reason and revelation in the philosophical worldview of Sadr al-Din al-Shirazi. With the translation and spread of ancient Greek philosophical heritage in the Islamic world, the philosophy–religion issue emerged as a major topic, and its nature has been interpreted in various ways by different thinkers. Shirazi paid special attention to this matter, emphasizing that philosophy and religion originate from the same source, and that the apparent contradiction between them is due to the limitations of human understanding. He viewed reason both as the foundation of faith and as a complement to revelation, and he defended the inseparable connection between true knowledge and belief. The paper demonstrates how, within the framework of Shirazi’s “Transcendent Philosophy,” the relationships among reason, faith, mysticism, and religious law are reconciled. The author also highlights that Shīrāzī upheld the principle of harmony with the Qur’an and Sunnah in his approach to philosophy and mysticism, while noting that certain truths can only be grasped through inner, esoteric knowledge. By analyzing the core elements of Shirazi’s religious-philosophical system, the paper demonstrates the possibility of harmony between philosophy and religion.