In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

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Part of the Biography of a Great Philosopher of our Time,

Doctor Seyyed Ali Mosavi,

 From the Viewpoints of his Disciples

Biography of Philosopher and Researcher, Professor ‘Seyyed Ali Mosavi’

Doctor Seyyed Ali Mosavi is the son of Seyyed Hossein Mosavi who was born in the morning of 28 December 1928 at Bornabad near the town of Kashmar, Khorasan Province.

What has been allusively and metaphorically understood from his life during the lessons we received is that he was from childhood enamored by the study of theology and acquiring knowledge and science.

• From the age of 5, he started attending school and after 6 months, he learnt the reading of the Holy Quran well.

• Thereafter, he studied a few books like Sad Kalameh [100 words] which is the explanation of the marriage of her holiness, Hazrat Zahra (PBUH), Toofan Al-boka [thunder of tears] regarding mourning for Imam Hossein and Tarassol which is an introduction for the students of theology.

• At the age of 6, he started studying the Jame al-Moqaddamat and Sharh Amsaleh through his father.

• And in the first stage of entrance into his educational period, he went on a pilgrimage to Imamzadeh Hamzeh and Seyyed Morteza in Kashmar.

• At the beginning of his pilgrimage he went to a theological school, called Ayatollah Haj Sheikh. After some preliminary stages, he registered there. That was the beginning of his theological studies and in fact that of the surging of his knowledge.

• He acquired the preliminaries of Arabic lessons through a devout scientist, the late Fazel Maqany and the preliminaries of religious jurisprudence with the pious personality of those days, Mr. Noor and Shamsyeh and Mantegh (Logic) through an honorable personality named Mr. Ishraq and the books Lomatein, Maalem, Qavanin, and Safy interpretation (which began everyday after morning prayers) with a great teacher of theology and devout person who was a true Gnostic of his time, the late Sheikh Mohammad Hassan Modarres.

• During this period of education, as per his father’s strict recommendation he started learning philosophy with the great professor, unique philosopher and great theologian and perfect devotee, the late Sheikh Mohammad Ali Elahi whose wisdom allowed him to live in seclusion but his holy spiritual light was extensive. The total number of years during which he studied with the late Mr. Sheikh Mohammad Ali Elahi was 21 years.

• In addition to philosophy and theology and Gnosticism lessons, he studied Makaseb and Rasael of Sheikh Ansary and two volumes of the Kefaiat Al-Osool of late Akhoond Khorasany and explanation of La'aly and Manzoomeh of Haj Molla Hady Sabzevary through Haj Sheikh Mohammad Bagher Emami, an esteemed knowledgeable personality who was one of the definite theological figures of those days and one of the disciples of Seyyed Abdol Hassan Esfahany, who undertook the management of the theological schools of Kashmar, and thousands of ordinary and distinguished persons profited being in his presence.

A total number of 24 years he profited in theological schools under the supervision of different professors. It should also be said that he learnt religious jurisprudence and principles of theology with esteemed professors for 5 years.

• After that he was in Mashhad for a while learning religious jurisprudence and theological principles with a few professors.

But what overshadowed all his scientific life was the philosophy lessons he learnt with Sheikh Mohammad Elahi where he studied Molla Sadra’s Book, Asfar (Journeys) for over 7 years with the professor.

• Thereafter, once again for 3 years he profited from explanation of Manzoomeh and then Eshraq and Tajdid and then the texts of the professor’s scientific and Gnostic books.                               

• And meanwhile, in order not to be deprived of university certificates, after an examination held in Sepahsalar School of those days and the present Ostad Motahhari School in the presence of a large number of clergies, obtained his diploma and thereafter took part in the entrance examination to the University for Religious Studies and was accepted.    

• After that he concluded his path in the University for Religious Studies which was previously called Maghool and Manghool (Reasons and Narrations) and achieved the highest degrees in Arabic Literature, Reasons and Narrations.

This was a brief description of the scientific life of distinguished professor, Dr. Seyyed Ali Mosavi

Our hearts are filled with love.

But now years have lapsed since Professor Seyyed Ali Mosavi has benefited from scientific reference books and primary documents at dawn or other times in a holy place and in his secluded corner in addition to his personal library and at many times during his studentship in the theological school he has made use of the Razavi library in the holy city of Mashhad and also many other famous libraries such as Late Malek’s library in Tehran and a university of its time and also manuscripts from the Majlis library source which even now he sometimes makes use of. He also sometimes inquires his scientific questions from some scientists whom he knows to seek information or for research work and also from the reference books and thereafter he blesses his students with a Gnostic research work.

In fact the flowers and basils of our professor’s heart, with which he has lived his life and have been and are his companion and confidant, are the scientific and comprehensive sources and documents he uses.

His researches consist of the following two parts:

Part 1: Includes research and investigation on the essence of the Holy Quran verses for which he has made use of the following literal sources:

1.     Taj ul-Aroos

2.     Tazkereh

3.     Ofogh ul-Logha

4.     Majma ul-Bahrain

5.     Lesan ul-Arab

6.     Ghamous ul-Quran

7.     Mofradat Ragheb

8.     Alame Dehkhoda’s Encyclopaedia                         

But with respect to interpretation, the main explanation and interpretation is from the text of the interpretation by Mulla Morteza who was also called Mulla Mohsen Feiz Kashani (His companions wanted to build a mausoleum on his grave after his death, but he told them in the dream world not to build one. He said the same way as my heart, my love and my spirit were without any bonds, allow my grave to be without any bond too; so that I can benefit from the true light). Other sources are also used for both the ornamentation and explanation of these verses such as the interpretation by Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) and Meybodi interpretation, Forat Kufi interpretation, Majma ul-Bayan and a number of other interpretations such as Tashayo Alavi and Koshaf Zamakhshari, Ruh ul-Bayan Boroosi and Ahmad Ghazali and interpretation by Mohyeddin Arabi and Alamoo Enni Fatemeh which are important reference books and the Shiite Encyclopaedia and Jooybari interpretation and Tabiyan interpretation and other interpretations for clarification of the principles.

Part 2: Researches in the field of philosophy and Gnosticism, which are inspired by the lessons in the book, Asfar (Journeys) by Mulla Sadra (may Allah esteem his position) which is from the schools of Mashaies and Eshraghis and Ravaghis and Aflatoonis (Plato) and also the sages of the 4^th to 9^th century and the Iranian sages, in particular sages and those who are buried in the land of Kish and also the philosophy of the east and the west and different schools such as those of Russell, Xenophanes, Kant, Hegel, David Hume, Machiavelli and the philosophy of Homan, the doctrine of existentialism and the doctrine of realism and tens of other opinions concerning the principles of Gnosticism and philosophy were studied and where necessary are discussed when teaching the valuable divine philosophy.

The scientific pearls which are portrayed in books are the result of research and investigation on the writings of the great religious scientists and the Gnostics who are in the path of Allah who write and make fragrant with extracts of their hearts. And like an animating breeze they fall upon the students’ hearts causing their inside jewels to bloom.

We should describe what we have seen ourselves.

And when we reach the ambitions of the heart’s grace, the results of the scientific, philosophical and Gnostic researches will …