"The foremost amongst the theosophs", an honorific title given by his followers to the celebrated Sadr al-Din Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Shirazi, generally known as Mulla Sadra (979-1050/1571-1640), the greatest philosopher in modern times in Iran.

The minor premise in a syllogism (qiyas, q.v.); see al-muqaddamat al-sughra.

The Platonic forms or ideas; see al-muthul al-Aflatuniyah and al-a‘yan al-thabitah.

The signs of the Zodiac. These are twelve, viz. (1) hamal (ram); (2) thaur (bull); (3) jauza’ (twins); (4) sartan (crab); (5) asad (lion); (6) sunbulah (virgin, lit. "ear of corn."); (7) mizan (balance); (8) ‘aqrab (Scorpion); (9) qaus (archer); (10) Jadi (goat); (11) dalw (bucket); and (12) hut (fish). See also mintaqat al-buruj.

The essence of. a thing which in union with prime matter (hayula q.v.) constitutes a particular thing; it is, in fact, the principle that determines the prime matter to be actually such and such a body; without either matter or form, however, there would be no concrete thing at all.

 Dictionary - Islamic Philosophy Home - E-mail - Guest Book

• Page last modified on 2008-01-04.

• Page url is: www.muslimphilosophy.com/pd/d-14.htm  

• Dictionary of Muslim philosophy (html version) is © Copyrighted 2004 by Islamic Philosophy Online, Inc. A not-for-profit organization dedicated to the study of Islamic philosophy.  All rights reserved worldwide. This dictionary may not be copied in part or total without the express written permission of the copyright holder. See copyright information.

• About the Islamic Philosophy Online Project.

• Click Here for an Internet Citation Guide.

• Reporting copyright infringement.

• Page created on: 2001-07-02