Plotinus and Hazrat Ali

HAZRAT IMAM ALI IBN E ABI TALIB AND THE FAMOUS PHILOSOPHER PLOTINUS Imam Ali (as) says, “In all the periods and times when there were no Prophets there have been persons with whom Allah whispered through their wits and spoke through their minds.” Nahjulbalagha: Sermon-219. Philosophy is the study of the ultimate cause of creation .Why is there a universe? What is the cause behind creation? Different philosophers gave different philosophic theories to explain the cause behind creation and the most prominent among them being Aristotle and Plato. The greatest among the last of the ancient philosophers was Plotinus. Plotinus was born in 204 A.D, some 400 years before Imam Ali (as) was born. Plotinus’s philosophy is a trinity consisting of the ‘One’ the ‘Nous’ and the Soul. Unlike the Christian trinity, the trinity of Plotinus is hierarchical in which the ‘One’ is the ultimate principle and is without any form, it cannot be grasped and is the ultimate. Next is the ‘Nous’ which is called the intellectual principle. And the last is the ‘Soul’ which is the creative principle. The Soul created the universe. The ‘One’ gave the plan of creation to the ‘Nous’ and the ‘Soul’ imbibed the plan of action from the ‘Nous’ and created the universe. Plotinus philosophy was wonderful because it had it’s basis in the human nature. Plotinus derived his philosophy from the study of human nature. We have three principles operating in us; one the unconscious, the mind, and the subconscious. When we are in a deep sleep, the unconscious becomes prominent, the one who controls our respiration and heartbeat while we are asleep. When we wake, most of the time, we know the duration of our sleep, the one who gives this knowledge is the unconscious. Plotinus reached the idea of ‘One’ through the unconscious. As the unconscious controls our heartbeat while we sleep, there is an ultimate unconscious which controls the whole universe. When we are dreaming the mind is active, it is the intellectual principle in us similarly there is an ultimate intellectual principle in the universe which is the ‘Nous’. When we are awake the thought are converted into action, this is the super conscious similarly there is an ultimate super conscious in the universe who is responsible for the creation of the universe, this ultimate creative principle is the ‘Soul’. In Hindu philosophy the ‘Nous’ and the ‘Soul’ are the complimentary unit of a whole called the ‘Saguna Brahman’. The Hindu philosophy treats the intellectual principle and the creative principle as one unit. China is famous for ‘Yin-Yang’ and ‘Chi’ philosophy. Chi (qi) is the universal fundamental energy which was formed before the universe was born. Every created thing has ‘Chi’ in it. Hence, Chi is the first principle from which the whole of the creation emanated. Chi is a complimentary source made of two opposing principles, one is yin (the passive energy) and the other, the yang (the active energy).The relation between the Yang and the Yin is akin to that of Sun and the moon. The Chinese philosophers believed that all the natural phenomena and natural laws can be explained in terms of balancing act between the Yin and the Yang. The Yang can be referred to the ‘Nous’ of Plotinus and Yin to his ‘Soul’. The Chi can be referred to the ‘OM’ in Hindu Philosophy. In the Islamic philosophy the Sun refers to the Holy Prophet of Islam (a.s) and the Moon refers to Imam Ali (a.s).Regarding the verse “ By the Sun when it shines and By the Moon, when it follows it (Surah Shams-91-Quran)”, the Holy Prophet of Islam said that the Sun refers to him and the Moon refers to Ali (a.s). Islamic Philosophy: In Islam Prophet Muhammad (as) is regarded as the fist creation. The first thing which was bought into existence was the light of the Holy Prophet of Islam. God wanted to introduce his first creation, Muhammad (s) so he created the universe. The Prophet said, “I was the messenger when Adam was existing in between sand and water (when he was not made).” Prophet (s) also said, “The first thing which God created was intellect, and I am the intellect.” The above given traditions are found in both the Sunni and the Shia books. It is very interesting that, even Plotinus used the same word ‘Intellect’ for the first creation. Shia Islamic Philosophy: The Shia Islamic Philosophy is an extension of the common Islamic philosophy, according to which God first created the light of the Prophet of Islam and then split the light into two, the other part being Imam Ali (as).According to Shia Philosophy Prophet Muhammad (as) and Imam Ali (as) are the complimentary parts of a single unit. The following traditions of the Holy Prophet of Islam are found in both Sunni and Shia books, “I (Muhammad s.) and Ali are from the same light.” “Ali is from me and I am from Ali.” Imam Ali (as) said: “I was the Wali (guardian) when Adam was in between sand and water.” Just as the trinity of Plotinus, the Shia Philosophy of trinity speaks of a formless, invisible and indivisible God, who created Muhammad (as) the first intellectual principle, and from Muhammad (as) he created Ali (as ) the creative principle. God wished to introduce his first creation, so he revealed the plan of creation to Muhammad (as), and Ali (as) made the universe perfectly as per the plan revealed to Muhammad (as), Imam Ali (as) says, “I have raised the seven skies with the powers and commandments, entrusted to me by my Lord. ''I am the one who when looked at the skies, and did not find any one who can challenge me''. ''I am the one who counts his creatures, even though they are numerous, and make sure they return back to their Lord''. ''I am the trustee who protects divine commands''. ''I do not treat anyone with unkindness, as I am the Divine Sustainer ‘Wali –Allah’'. ''His commands have been entrusted upon me and I have been made ruler over the masses by my Lord''. ''I am the one who called the moon and the sun and they moved forward in my obedience''. ''I am the one who called upon the ‘seven skies’ and they bow down on my instruction and stabilised in perfect posture''. ''I am the one who nominated all the Prophets, created all the worlds and laid the earth down''. ''I am aware of all those affairs which have been made compulsory''. ''I am the Amr (command) of Allah and the ‘Soul’ of Allah, as Allah says: They ask you (O’Prophet) about the soul, you tell them that soul is from Allah’s Amr (command)''. ''I am the one about whom Allah has said to his Prophet, ‘Two of you will send each and every malicious non-believer to the hell fire'’. ''I am the one who brought into existence everything, with the blessing of my Lord, after they were composed". Sermon of Al-Bayan: Nehaj Ul Israr. Imam Ali (as) has used the word ‘Soul’ for himself. Who was Plotinus? How did he reached the concept of trinity; the formless God, the Intellectual Principle and the Soul; Allah, Muhammad (as) and Ali (as).Imam Ali says, “In all the periods and times when there were no Prophets there have been persons with whom Allah whispered through their wits and spoke through their minds.” Nahjulbalagha: Sermon-219. ALL PRAISE IS DUE TO ALLAH, THE SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE