Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the ...

From the School of Isfahan to the School of Tehran 247
AFTER THE FOUR FOUNDING ¡AKĪMS
Among the most important students of those four masters, besides
those already mentioned, were M¥rzå ¡asan Kirmånshåh¥, who was a
specialist in the teachings of mashshå˘¥ philosophy, mathematics, and
medicine, and M¥rzå Håshim Rasht¥, who was a notable exponent of
‘irfån and ishråq¥ doctrines. Their students and the generation that
followed are too numerous to name here. 34 We must confine ourselves
to only a few of the most famous who later became masters of the
School of Tehran during the late Qajar and the Pahlavi periods. One
can mention, in addition to those already cited, M¥rzå Ma±m¨d and
M¥rzå A±mad ≈shtiyån¥, who resided in Tehran and who were known
as great authorities in the teaching of spiritual ethics and ‘irfån; M¥rzå
Mu±ammad ‘Al¥ Shåhåbåd¥, who moved to Tehran where in addition
to philosophy he taught the main texts of ‘irfån; Mu±ammad Taq¥
≈mul¥, one of the leading philosophers of the School of Tehran during
the Pahlavi period; and three figures about whom we need to say a
few more words: M¥rzå Mahd¥ ≈shtiyån¥, Sayyid Ab¨˘l-¡asan Raf¥‘¥
Qazw¥n¥, and Sayyid Mu±ammad Kåπim ‘A∑∑år, all of whom lived
well into the Pahlavi era but were trained in the late Qajar period in
the School of Tehran.
M¥rzå Mahd¥ ≈shtiyån¥, at once an outstanding philosopher and
faq¥h, was born in 1306/1888 in Tehran. His first teacher was his father,
with whom he studied fiqh and uĦl. He also studied these subjects
with Shaykh Mas¥± appleåliqån¥ and Shaykh Fa∂l Allåh N¨r¥ and
philosophy with ≈qå M¥r Sh¥råz¥ and M¥rzå ¡asan Kirmånshåh¥.
≈shtiyån¥ was also very knowledgeable in traditional mathematics
and medicine. He even studied Western medicine, which was then
spreading in Persia, with such famous Qajar physicians as Nåπim ala†ibbå˘
and Ra˘¥s al- a†ibbå˘. He then set out for Iraq, where he studied
rational fiqh and uƒ¶l with such famous faq¥hs as Sayyid Mu±ammad
Kåπim Yazd¥. After becoming established as an authority in fiqh as
well as ÷ikmat and ‘irfån, he returned to Persia, teaching for a while in
Qom, Isfahan, and Mashhad and finally settled in Tehran. He spent
the rest of his life in the capital teaching and writing a number of
important works, becoming recognized as the leading ÷ak¥m and a
notable ‘årif of his day in Tehran. During this period he also traveled
to India, Central Asia, Europe, and Egypt, where he explained Islamic
philosophy to many audiences. He died in Tehran in 1372/1952. 35
The philosophical works of ≈shtiyån¥ include his commentary in
Arabic and the Persian paraphrase of the Asfår of Mullå |adrå and an