Irfan
Encyclopedia
‘Irfān literally means knowing/awareness. The term is often translated as gnosis
, however it also refers to Islam
ic mysticism
. Those with the name are sometimes referred to as having an insight into the unseen. Irfan is also a Muslim given name
, usually used for male persons.
The concept of Irfan overlaps considerably with Sufism
in both meaning and content. A large number of the Twelve Imams appear in numerous Sufi orders. In Twelver Shiism on the other hand, the term refers specifically to gnosis that can be attained strictly within the confines of Islam.
Among the most famous modern Shia proponents of Irfan were Usooli
theologians Allameh Tabatabaei
and Ruhollah Khomeini
. The scholars taught how gnosis can be attained by adhering to Islamic teachings with love for God. The 17th century Mulla Sadra
of Iran
is generally seen as the historical ideologue for Irfan in Shi'ism.
Gnosis
Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge . In the context of the English language gnosis generally refers to the word's meaning within the spheres of Christian mysticism, Mystery religions and Gnosticism where it signifies 'spiritual knowledge' in the sense of mystical enlightenment.-Related...
, however it also refers to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
. Those with the name are sometimes referred to as having an insight into the unseen. Irfan is also a Muslim given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
, usually used for male persons.
The concept of Irfan overlaps considerably with Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
in both meaning and content. A large number of the Twelve Imams appear in numerous Sufi orders. In Twelver Shiism on the other hand, the term refers specifically to gnosis that can be attained strictly within the confines of Islam.
Among the most famous modern Shia proponents of Irfan were Usooli
Usooli
Usulis are the majority Twelver Shi'a Muslim group. They differ from their now much smaller rival Akhbari group in favoring the use of ijtihad i.e...
theologians Allameh Tabatabaei
Allameh Tabatabaei
Allameh Seyyed Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei was one of the most prominent thinkers of philosophy and contemporary Shia Islam...
and Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
. The scholars taught how gnosis can be attained by adhering to Islamic teachings with love for God. The 17th century Mulla Sadra
Mulla Sadra
Ṣadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī also called Mulla Sadrā was a Persian Shia Islamic philosopher, theologian and ‘Ālim who led the Iranian cultural renaissance in the 17th century...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
is generally seen as the historical ideologue for Irfan in Shi'ism.