Certificate · Intellectual Tradition

Samʿani’s Repose of the Spirits

Study a classic masterpiece of Islamic spirituality that illuminates the nature of love, sainthood, and the journey to God.

What this course gives you

A working command of the vocabulary of Islamic metaphysics — wujūd, māhiyya, the gradation of being — used precisely, not loosely.

The capacity to read primary texts of Ibn Sīnā and Mullā Ṣadrā with comprehension rather than reverence alone.

An understanding of why the tradition treats metaphysics as the science of realities — and what that claim asks of the knower.

Direct exchange with Professor Nasr in open Q&A after every session — the part no book can replace.

The eight weeks

A syllabus, not a playlist.

Download full syllabus
Your instructor
William Chittick

SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies at Stony Brook University.