Ma`rifat Falsafi

The theory of 'Divine Agency through Manifestation' (fa‘iliyya bi’l-tajalli) is an innovation of Ṣadr al-Mutā’allihīn (Mulla Sadra) in explaining divine agency. It originates from his philosophical and intuitive trend, along with his novel interpretation of causality, and reaches a more complete form through inspiration from mystical thought, particularly in discussions of manifestation (tajalli). This theory understands the reality of the Necessary Being’s agency in terms of manifestation (tajalli); that is, the Divine Essence, through a simple (non-composite) and comprehensive knowledge of Himself, possesses a detailed disclosure of all things. Accordingly, all entities are manifestations of the very knowledge of the Exalted Necessary Being. Viewing the importance of evaluating religious perspectives on the issue of divine agency, the present study aims to examine the theory of 'Divine Agency through Manifestation' in relation to religious texts, assessing how far it goes compatible with religious teachings. This interdisciplinary research employs a descriptive-analytical method, incorporating a philosophical exposition of Ṣadrā’s theory, interpretation of relevant Quranic verses and hadiths, and the synthesis of contextual evidence. It conducts a rational analysis of the concepts and evaluates the alignment of this theory with religious texts. The findings indicate that, compared to other perspectives on divine agency, this theory demonstrates the closest affinity with religious teachings and can provide a comprehensive explanation of the mode of God's agency.