The Metaphysics of the Common Word: A Dialogue of Eckhartian and Isma’ili Gnosis Part Two: Intellectual and Emanative Reality, by Khalil Andani

This article, the conclusion of a two-part series (the first part was published in Volume 26 of this journal) presents a comparative dialogue between the Trinitarian metaphysics of Christianity as taught by Meister Eckhart and the metaphysics of Islam as elucidated in Shi’a Isma’ili theosophy, in which the three Persons of the Christian Trinity are compared with the three highest hypostases of Isma’ili gnosis. In this second instalment, the author continues the metaphysical dialogue by comparing Eckhart’s concept of the Son and the Isma’ili notion of the Universal Intellect (al-‘Aql al-Kull) in light of concept of the Divine Intellect. The author then explores the relationship between the Father and the Son as understood by Meister Eckhart and compares this to the relationship between the Divine Command and Universal Intellect as conceived in Isma’ili gnosis. This is followed by a comparison of Eckhart’s concept of the Holy Spirit and the Isma’ili concept of the Universal Soul (al-Nafs al-Kull) in relation to the notion of Divine Love. The author also highlights the correspondence between the figures of Christ and his Virgin Mother in Christianity and the figures of the Imam and his Hujjah in Isma’ili Islam. The article concludes by exploring how metaphysical commonalities can inform and enlighten the Christian and Muslim dialogues in the modern world.

http://sacredweb.com/contributors/#Andani
http://sacredweb.com/journals/sw27.html
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Khalil Andani – https://www.khalilandani.com – is Ph.D candidate (ABD) and an SSHRC Doctoral Fellow (2014-2019) at Harvard University studying Muslim intellectual history with a focus on Islamic theology, philosophy, and mysticism. His dissertation in progress focuses on how Muslims understand the nature and revelation of the Qur’an, with special attention to the concepts of scripture (kitab), revelatory inspiration (wahy), and hermeneutics in the Qur’an, classical Sunni exegesis (tafsir), classical Sunni kalam theology, and Shi’i Ismaili thought. His focus area in Ismaili thought is the theology and philosophy of Nasir-i Khusraw (d. ca. 1088).

His publications include articles in the Oxford Journal of Islamic Studies, Religion Compass, The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy, forthcoming chapters in A Guide to Sufi Literature and Global-Critical Philosophy of Religion, and two articles in Sacred Web. He has also taught several courses in Islamic studies and religious studies as a Graduate Teaching Fellow. His recent conference papers and academic talks are featured on his Research Blog.

Khalil holds a Master of Theological Studies degree (2014), specializing in Islamic philosophy and Ismaili thought, from Harvard University. He is Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and articled with KPMG Canada and also completed Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath) and Master of Accounting degrees at the University of Waterloo (2008).

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