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Afḑal al-Dīn Maraqī Kāshānī (Persian: افضل‌الدین مَرَقی کاشانی), also known as Baba Afzal (Persian: بابا افضل‌), was a Persian^[1] poet and philosopher.^[2] Several dates have been suggested for his death, with the best estimate being around 1213/1214.^[2]

Life

The information on his life is scanty and few.^[2] His writing portray a disdain for officials of his time and he is said to have once been imprisoned by the local governor on trumped-up charges of practicing sorcery.^[2] His tomb located in the village Maraq, forty-two km northwest of Kashan, is still a place of pilgrimage. The best^[3] summary (in Persian) of what is known about Baba Afzal's life and work, is written in the World Encyclopedia of Islam (Dānišnāma-i Jahān-i Islām) by the late Professor Abbas Zaryab Khoei.

Works

His most universally recognized contribution to Iranian culture lies in the field of literature.^[2] In poetry he has been considered one of the two or three greatest masters of the robāʿī (quatrains), while in philosophical prose only Suhrawardi stands on the same level.^[2] Similar to Avicenna (in his work Dānišnāma-yi ʿAlāyī), Baba Afzal employs a great deal of Persian vocabulary where others would have used Arabic, but unlike Avicenna he chooses only attractive and mellifluous terms.^[2] His works from the viewpoint of literary tradition is a delight to read nor does he neglect to employ the corresponding Arabic terms where clarity demands them.^[2] His influence on later thinkers has not been investigated however his works which are clearly and beautifully written were probably a source of inspiration for philosophical writings in both Arabic and Persian.^[2] For his part, he follows the philosophical and logical terminology of Avicenna while most his works evoke a visionary aura in spite of their philosophical and logical exactitude.^[2] Besides his poetry, 54 works of prose in varying length have survived.^[2]

Poetry

Around 500 quatrains are ascribed to him. Some of the themes include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the corporeal world, the correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm, and self-knowledge as the goal of human existence. Some of his quatrains are also recorded in the book Nozhat al-Majālis. He is considered by some to be the greatest poet among the outstanding philosophers of Islam.^[4] The themes of these quatrains include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the corporeal world, the correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm, and autology (self-knowledge) as the goal of human existence.

ʿArż-nāma

This is considered his magnum opus. It is the longest and most complete exposition of his philosophy that brings together all topics related to the perfection of the soul. It is divided into four “displays” (ʿarż) arranged in an ascending order according to the four kinds of things in the universe: corporeal bodies (ajsām), which are acted upon (kardahā); agents or souls, which do the acting (konandahā); concepts or known things (dānestahā); and knowers (dānandagān).^[2]

Jāvedān-nāma

This comprehensive work is his most specifically Islamic treatment of his favorite themes; it is the only work of certain ascription to him outside the letters that quotes and comments on Quran and Hadith (Prophetic sayings).

Other works

Madārij al-Kamāl (Persian: مدارج الکمال)
Rāhanjām-nāma (Persian: راه‌انجام نامه) In three discourses this work explains self-knowledge as the road to human perfection.
Risāla dar ʿelm u noṭq (Persian: رساله در علم و نطق)
Sāz u pīrāya-yi šāhān-i purmāya (Persian: ساز و پیرایه شاهان پرمایه)
Mabādī-yi mawjūdāt-i nafsānī
Āyāt al-ṣaṇʿa fi’l-kašf ʿan maṭālib elāhīya sabʿa - Brief discussion in Arabic of the intellect, soul and the body.

Philosophy

He wrote during a period when several figures were bridging the gaps between philosophy and Sufism. His major concern is to explain the salvific power of true knowledge, i.e., self-knowledge, or knowledge of the Self (ḏāt or huwwīyat, God Himself viewed as the center of man's being).^[2] His philosophy is an autology (Persian: خودشناسی, ḵhod-šenāsī). That is: "To know oneself is to know the everlasting reality that is consciousness, and to know it is to be it.".^[2] His ontology is interconnected simultaneously with his epistemology, because according to him, full actualization of the potentialities of the universe can only take place through the self-awareness of human beings. This ontology can only be realized by the training of the human soul, or education in the widest sense of the term.

His view of the structure of the reality is succinctly explained in the beginning of his work Rāhanjām-nāma.

Sample Poetry

A quatrain: Suppose you run the world as you like, then what?
You read life's book to the end, then what?
You have your way for hundred years---
then a hundred more, then What?

References and notes

^ Robert Hillenbrand, Studies in Medieval Islamic Architecture, Pindar Press, 2001. p. 315.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ William Chittick. Encyclopedia Iranica, "BĀBĀ AFŻAL-AL-DĪN"
^ Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afdal al-Din Kashani. By William C. Chittick. New York: Oxford University (2001) . pg 309: "For the best summary in Persian of what is known about Baba Afdal's life and work, see 'Abbas Zaryab, "Baba Afdal," Dainshnama-yi Jahan-i Islam (Tehran: Bunyat-i Da'irat al-Ma'arif-i Islami, 1369/1980)."
^ Seyyed Hossein Nasr (1984), "Afḑal al-Dīn Kāshānī and the Philosophical World of Khwāja Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī", in Michael E. Marmura (ed.), Islamic Theology and Philosophy: Studies in Honor of George F. Hourani, State University of New York: Albany Press"

Sources

The Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afḑal al-Dīn Kāshānī. By William C. Chittick. New York: Oxford University (2001)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Medieval Persian poet and philosopher}}
-'''Afdal al-Din Kashani''' ({{lang-fa|افضل الدین کاشانی}}) also known as Baba Afzal al-Din ({{lang-fa|بابا افضل الدین}}) was a [[Persian people|Persian]]<ref>Robert Hillenbrand, "Studies in Medieval Islamic architecture",Pindar Press, 2001. pg 315</ref> [[poet]] and [[philosopher]].<ref name="Iranica">[http://www.iranica.com/articles/baba-afzal-al-din William Chittick. Encyclopedia Iranica,  "BĀBĀ AFŻAL-AL-DĪN"]</ref>  Several dates have been suggested for his death, with the best estimate being around 1213-1214.<ref name="Iranica"/>
+'''Afḑal al-Dīn Maraqī Kāshānī''' ({{langx|fa|افضل‌الدین مَرَقی کاشانی}}), also known as '''Baba Afzal''' ({{langx|fa|بابا افضل‌}}), was a [[Persian people|Persian]]<ref>Robert Hillenbrand, Studies in Medieval Islamic Architecture, Pindar Press, 2001. p. 315.</ref> [[poet]] and [[philosopher]].<ref name="Iranica">[http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/baba-afzal-al-din William Chittick. Encyclopedia Iranica,  "BĀBĀ AFŻAL-AL-DĪN"]</ref>  Several dates have been suggested for his death, with the best estimate being around 1213/1214.<ref name="Iranica"/>
-==Life==
+== Life ==
-The information on his life is scanty and few.<ref name="Iranica"/>  His writing portray a disdain for officials of his time and he is said to have once been imprisoned by the local governor on trumped-up charges of practicing sorcery.<ref name="Iranica"/>  His tomb located in the village Maraq, forty-two km northwest of [[Kashan]], is still a place of pilgrimage.  The best<ref name="Heart">Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afdal al-Din Kashani. By William C. Chittick. New York: Oxford University (2001) .  pg 309: "For the best summary in Persian of what is known about Baba Afdal's life and work, see 'Abbas Zaryab, "Baba Afdal," Dainshnama-yi Jahan-i Islam (Tehran: Bunyat-i Da'irat al-Ma'arif-i Islami, 1369/1980)."</ref> summary of Persian of what is known about Baba Afda'lf life and work, is written in the World Encyclopedia of Islam (Danishnama-i Jahan-i Islam) by the late Professor [[Abbas Zaryab]].
+The information on his life is scanty and few.<ref name="Iranica" /> His writing portray a disdain for officials of his time and he is said to have once been imprisoned by the local governor on trumped-up charges of practicing sorcery.<ref name="Iranica" /> His tomb located in the village Maraq, forty-two km northwest of [[Kashan]], is still a place of pilgrimage. The best<ref name="Heart">Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afdal al-Din Kashani. By William C. Chittick. New York: Oxford University (2001) .  pg 309: "For the best summary in Persian of what is known about Baba Afdal's life and work, see 'Abbas Zaryab, "Baba Afdal," Dainshnama-yi Jahan-i Islam (Tehran: Bunyat-i Da'irat al-Ma'arif-i Islami, 1369/1980)."</ref> summary (in Persian) of what is known about Baba Afzal's life and work, is written in the World Encyclopedia of Islam (Dānišnāma-i Jahān-i Islām) by the late Professor [[Abbas Zaryab|Abbas Zaryab Khoei.]]
 ==Works==
-His most universally recognized contribution to [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] culture lies in the field of [[Persian literature|literature]].<ref name="Iranica"/> In poetry he has been considered one of the two or three greatest masters of the robāʿī(quatrains), while in philosophical prose only [[Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi|Suhrawardi]] stands on the same level.<ref name="Iranica"/>  Similar to [[Avicenna]] (in his work Daneshnameyeh 'Alai), Baba Afzal employs a great deal of [[Persian language|Persian]] vocabulary where others would have used [[Arabic]], but unlike [[Avicenna]] he chooses only attractive and mellifluous terms.<ref name="Iranica"/>  His works from the viewpoint of literary tradition is a delight to read nor does he neglect to employ the corresponding Arabic terms where clarity demands them.<ref name="Iranica"/>
+His most universally recognized contribution to [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] culture lies in the field of [[Persian literature|literature]].<ref name="Iranica"/> In poetry he has been considered one of the two or three greatest masters of the robāʿī (quatrains), while in philosophical prose only [[Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi|Suhrawardi]] stands on the same level.<ref name="Iranica"/> Similar to [[Avicenna]] (in his work Dānišnāma-yi ʿAlāyī), Baba Afzal employs a great deal of [[Persian language|Persian]] vocabulary where others would have used [[Arabic]], but unlike [[Avicenna]] he chooses only attractive and mellifluous terms.<ref name="Iranica"/> His works from the viewpoint of literary tradition is a delight to read nor does he neglect to employ the corresponding Arabic terms where clarity demands them.<ref name="Iranica"/> His influence on later thinkers has not been investigated however his works which are clearly and beautifully written were probably a source of inspiration for philosophical writings in both Arabic and Persian.<ref name="Iranica"/> For his part, he follows the philosophical and logical terminology of [[Avicenna]] while most his works evoke a visionary aura in spite of their philosophical and logical exactitude.<ref name="Iranica"/> Besides his poetry, 54 works of prose in varying length have survived.<ref name="Iranica"/>
-His influence on later thinkers has not been  investigated however his works which are clearly and beautifully written were probably a source of inspirtation for philosophical writings in both Arabic and Persian.<ref name="Iranica"/>  For his part, he follows the philosophical and logical terminology of [[Avicenna]] while most his works evoke a visionary aura in spite of their philosophical and logical exactitude.<ref name="Iranica"/>  Besides his poetry, 54 works of prose in varying length have survived.<ref name="Iranica"/>
 ===Poetry===
+[[File:Bowl of Reflections, early 13th century.jpg|thumbnail|''Bowl of Reflections'', early 13th century. [[Brooklyn Museum]]]]
-Around 500 [[quatrains]] are ascribed to him.  Some of the themes include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the corporeal world, the correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm, and self-knowledge as the goal of human existence.  Some of his quatrains are also recorded in the book [[Nozhat al-Majales]].  He is considered by some to be the greatest poet among the outstanding philosophers of Islam.<ref>Seyyed Hossein Nasr(1984), "Afdal al-Din Kashani and the Philosophical World of Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi", in Michael E. Marmura, "Islamic Theology and Philosophy: Studies in Honor of George F. Hourani", State University of New York: Albany Press"</ref>  The themes of these quatrains include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the corporeal world, the correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm, and autology (self-knowledge) as the goal of human existence.
+Around 500 [[quatrains]] are ascribed to him.  Some of the themes include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the corporeal world, the correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm, and self-knowledge as the goal of human existence.  Some of his quatrains are also recorded in the book [[Nozhat al-Majales|Nozhat al-Majālis]].  He is considered by some to be the greatest poet among the outstanding philosophers of Islam.<ref>Seyyed Hossein Nasr (1984), "Afḑal al-Dīn Kāshānī and the Philosophical World of Khwāja Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī", in Michael E. Marmura (ed.), Islamic Theology and Philosophy: Studies in Honor of George F. Hourani, State University of New York: Albany Press"</ref> The themes of these quatrains include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the corporeal world, the correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm, and autology (self-knowledge) as the goal of human existence.
 ===ʿArż-nāma ===
 This is considered his magnum opus. It is the longest and most complete exposition of his philosophy that brings together all topics related to the perfection of the soul. It is divided into four “displays” (ʿarż) arranged in an ascending order according to the four kinds of things in the universe: corporeal bodies (ajsām), which are acted upon (kardahā); agents or souls, which do the acting (konandahā); concepts or known things (dānestahā); and knowers (dānandagān).<ref name="Iranica"/>
-===Javedan-nama===
+===Jāvedān-nāma===
-This comprehensive work is his most specifically [[Islamic]] treatment of his favorite themes; it is the only work of certain ascription to him outside the letters that quotes and comments on [[Quran]] and [[Hadith]](Prophetic Sayings).
+This comprehensive work is his most specifically [[Islamic]] treatment of his favorite themes; it is the only work of certain ascription to him outside the letters that quotes and comments on [[Quran]] and [[Hadith]] (Prophetic sayings).
 ===Other works===
-* Madarej al-Kamal ({{lang-fa|مدارج الکمال}})
+* Madārij al-Kamāl ({{langx|fa|مدارج الکمال}})
-* Rahanjām-nāma -  ({{ In three discourses this work explains self-knowledge as the road to human perfection.
+* Rāhanjām-nāma ({{langx|fa|راه‌انجام نامه}}) In three discourses this work explains self-knowledge as the road to human perfection.
-* Resāla dar ʿelm o noṭq
+* Risāla dar ʿelm u noṭq ({{langx|fa|رساله در علم و نطق}})
-* Sāz o pīrāya-ye šāhān-e pormāya
+* Sāz u pīrāya-yi šāhān-i purmāya ({{langx|fa|ساز و پیرایه شاهان پرمایه}})
-* Mabādī-e mawjūdāt-e nafsānī
+* Mabādī-yi mawjūdāt-i nafsānī
-* Āyāt al-ṣaṇʿa fi’l-kašf ʿan maṭāleb elāhīya sabʿa - Brief discussion in Arabic of the intellect, soul and the body.
+* Āyāt al-ṣaṇʿa fi’l-kašf ʿan maṭālib elāhīya sabʿa - Brief discussion in Arabic of the intellect, soul and the body.
 ==Philosophy==
-He wrote during a period when several figures were bridging the gaps between [[philosophy]] and [[sufism]].  His major concern is to explain the salvific power of true knowledge, i.e., self knowledge, or knowledge of the Self (ḏāt or howwīyat, God Himself viewed as the center of man’s being).<ref name="Iranica"/>  His philosophy is an autology ({{lang-fa|خودشناسی}})(Persian: ḵhod-šenāsī).  That is: "To know oneself is to know the everlasting reality that is consciousness, and to know it is to be it.".<ref name="Iranica"/>  His ontology is interconnected simulatenously with his [[epistemology]], because according to him, full actualization of the potentialities of the universe can only take place through the self-awareness of human beings.  This ontology can only be realized by the training of the human soul, or education in the widest sense of the term.
+He wrote during a period when several figures were bridging the gaps between [[philosophy]] and [[Sufism]].  His major concern is to explain the salvific power of true knowledge, i.e., self-knowledge, or knowledge of the Self (ḏāt or huwwīyat, God Himself viewed as the center of man's being).<ref name="Iranica"/>  His philosophy is an autology ({{langx|fa|خودشناسی}}, ḵhod-šenāsī).  That is: "To know oneself is to know the everlasting reality that is consciousness, and to know it is to be it.".<ref name="Iranica"/>  His ontology is interconnected simultaneously with his [[epistemology]], because according to him, full actualization of the potentialities of the universe can only take place through the self-awareness of human beings. This ontology can only be realized by the training of the human soul, or education in the widest sense of the term.
-His view of the structure of the reality is succintly explained in the the beginning of his work Rahanjām-nāma.
+His view of the structure of the reality is succinctly explained in the beginning of his work Rāhanjām-nāma.
 ==Sample Poetry==
@@ Line 44: / Line 45: @@
 ==Sources==
-*The Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afdal al-Din Kashani. By William C. Chittick. New York: Oxford University (2001)
+*The Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afḑal al-Dīn Kāshānī. By William C. Chittick. New York: Oxford University (2001)
 ==See also==
@@ Line 51: / Line 52: @@
 {{Islamic philosophy}}
+{{authority control}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Afdal Al-Din Kashani}}
-[[Category:12th-century philosophers]]
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Kashani, Afdal Al-Din}}
-[[Category:Iranian scientists]]
-[[Category:Persian philosophers]]
+[[Category:12th-century Persian-language poets]]
-[[Category:Medieval Persian people]]
+[[Category:13th-century Persian-language poets]]
-[[Category:Persian poets]]
+[[Category:Persian-language spiritual writers]]
-[[Category:Persian spiritual writers]]
 [[Category:Sufi poets]]
-[[Category:Persian writers]]
-[[Category:Medieval poets]]
 [[Category:Mystic poets]]
+[[Category:13th-century Iranian philosophers]]
+[[Category:12th-century Iranian philosophers]]
-[[fa:افضل‌الدین کاشانی]]

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