Sayyed Ahmad Alavi

Sayyed Ahmad Alavi, also known as Ahmad b. Zayn al-'Abidin al-'Abidin al-'Alawi al-'Amili,[1] or Mir Sayyid Ahmad 'Alavi 'Amili,[2] (d. between 1644 - 1650; Persian: سید احمد علوی) was a Safavid philosopher and theologian of the Philosophical school of isfahan.

Life and education

Little is known about his life.[3] His ancestors were residents of Aleppo and his father also sojourned there for a long time. His father migrated to Safavid Iran as part of the large-scale immigration of the Shia Levantine Ulama to Iran that had been going on ever since the reign of king Ismail I (r. 1501—1524). His family sojourned in Isfahan. Sayyed Ahmad himself was born in Isfahan, and received education under the supervision of Mir Damad and Shaykh Bahai. He was counted as one of the eminent pupils of Mir Damad's school of thought. He also had a family relationship with Mir Damad as he was his son-in-law and cousin. He was familiar with Hebrew language in order to deal with the texts of the Old Testament and New Testament.[4]

Works

Nearly fifty works are attributed to him in which the commentary of Qabasat (amounting up to 700 pages) is one of them. He wrote the commentary by the direct order of Mir Damad. He also has written a book by the name of "Izha Al Haq" as the earliest essay against Abu Muslim.[5] Although Sayyed Ahmad followed the ways of his teacher, he simultaneously tried to show his dominance on other predecessors such as Farabi and Fakhr Al Din Samaki. Some other books written by him are:

  • Miftah Al Shefa (i.e. Miftāḥ al-shifāʼ, the keys of healing) as a commentary on Avicenna's The book of healing
  • Masqal Al Safa (i.e. Miṣqal-i ṣafāʼ) as a response to christian missionary
  • Lataef Al Qeybah (i.e. Laṭāʼif-i ghaybah)

Death

He died between 1644 and 1650.[6] He was buried in Takht Foolad, near the Agha Razi's Takiyyah.[7]

See also

References
  1. Abisaab 2004, p. 79
  2. Abisaab 2004, p. 79
  3. Abisaab 2004, p. 79
  4. Quinn 2015, Shah Abbas and Christianity
  5. Babayan 2002, pp. 412–413
  6. Newman, Andrew J. (2012). Safavid Iran: Rebirth of a Persian Empire. I.B.Tauris. p. 206. ISBN 978-0857716613.
  7. Moddarresi Motlaq & 1389 solar, pp. 88–89

Sources
  • Abisaab, Rula Jurdi (2004). Converting Persia: Religion and Power in the Safavid Empire. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1860649707.
  • Babayan, Kathryn (2002). Mystics, Monarchs, and Messiahs: Cultural Landscapes of Early Modern Iran. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780932885289.
  • Quinn, Sholeh (2015). Shah Abbas: The King Who Refashioned Iran. Oneworld. ISBN 9781780745688.
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