The Disclosure of Mystical Truths - Mulla Abdullah Zanuzi

Muntakhab al-Khaqanï contains divine problems and from this point of view it is just like any other book of Islamic philosophy. However, from the point of view that it contains many of Mullā Abdullāh Zanūzī's objections to the views of other philosophers, the Asharis, the Mutazilites and the Sufis it is unique. Another reason that this work is remarkable and unique amongst the other works of Islamic philosophy is the simplicity of its language.

Mulla Zanuzi

Mullā Abdullah Zanūzĩ was born to a certain Birmuqli Baba Khan, in the small village of Zanūz one of the villages in the out-skirts of the Persian city of Marand, close to Tabriz. In his youth,he travelled from his village to the city of Khoi, which was a center of religious knowledge in that age, and began his pursuit of religious education. He began to study Arabic grammar, with all of the various sciences that this contains. His expertise in this field of learning is attested to by the fact that he soon became known as Mullā Abdullah 'al-Nahwĩ (Mullā Abdullah the Grammarian).

Once he had mastered the preliminary Islamic sciences, our sage travelled to the city of Karbala, where he studied the principles of jurisprudence with Agha Sayyid TabātabaI, the author of Kitab al-Riyad. Following this, he ventured to the city of Qum and learnt the book, Qawanin al-Ușu/ from its author, Mirzā Qummĩ. Then, he travelled to the city of Isfahan, where he began his philosophical quest with the divine sage, Mullā Ali NūrI. He also continued hisacquisition of the science of jurisprudence with Sayyid MuhammadBāqir Rashtĩ and the principles of jurisprudence with Sayyid AliTabāţabã'1. During this time, a certain Hajj Muhammad Khản Marwi finished the construction of a religious school named the 'Marwi School' in the capital of Iran, Tehran. This person requested Mullā Ali Nūrĩ to come from Isfahan and teach there. However, Mullā Nūrĩ denied the request as there were nearly two thousand capable students in Isfahan that were learning under him at that time. If he came to Tehran, these students would have been left stranded.

So, Mullā 'Ali Nūrī requested his student, Mullā Abdullāh Zanūzi to go in his place to Tehran and teach in the Marwi School. The latteraccepted. Soon, Mullā Abdullah ZanūzÏ gained the special favor of the king and began to be held in great reverence by all. He taught in that school for nearly twenty years until he passed away in the year 1257. Mulla 'Abdullah Zanūzi left behind great philosophical and mystical works some of which are as follows: Anwār Jalyyah, Risalah Wyyah, Lama ất ahiyyah, etc,"