Page 50 - Pure Life 37

International Multi. J. of PURE LIFE, 11(37), Serial Number. 1, Winter. 2024, 49-72

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

Personal Identity in Islamic Philosophy and Contemporary
Western Philosophy (Focusing on the Thoughts of
Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi)

2
1*
Dr. Shahabodin Vahidi Mehrajardi , Dr. Mohammad Meftah ,
3
Amir Hossein Meftah

1.* Assistant Prof. in Department of Philosophy and Wisdom, Faculty of Theology and Education,
Meybod University, Meybod, Iran (Corresponding Author)

2. Assistant Prof. in Department of Shi’i Theology, Faculty of Shi’i Studies, University of Religions
and Denominations, Qom, Iran, mohamad.meftah@gmail.com

3. Researcher in Islamic Seminary of Qom, Qom, Iran, meftah2476@gmail.com

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Article History: SU BJECT & OBJECTIVES: Throughout history, the concept of
Received: 02 December 2023 human identity has been a challenging topic in philosophy, with
Revised: 29 January 2024 the responses of philosophers influencing various branches of
Accepted: 25 February 2024 science. In contemporary Western philosophy, there has been a
shift towards viewing humans solely as physical beings.
Key Words:
However, Islamic philosophy takes a different approach, rooted in
rationality and the teachings of Islam. The Misbah Yazdi is a
Soul
prominent Muslim philosopher who greatly contributed to the
Identity field and shed light on many philosophical issues. He derived the
concept of human identity from Islamic philosophy, enriching it
Personal Identity with Islamic teachings and offering a solution to the puzzle of
human identity. He defined human beings based on their soul,
Islamic Philosophy
rather than simply considering humans as a combination of body
and soul.
Western Philosophy
METHOD & FINDING: This research applies a qualitative approach
DOI: with a critical analysis method. The primary finding of this article
10.22034/imjpl.2023.17489.1131
is to elucidate the key differences between Islamic and Western
philosophy, focusing on Misbah Yazdi's perspective.
DOR:
20.1001.1.26767619.2024.11.37.2.3 CONCLUSION: The fundamental disparity between Islamic and

Western philosophy concerning human identity lies in the concept

of the soul. According to Islamic philosophy, the soul defines an

individual's uniqueness, providing them with a clear and stable

personality and identity. In contrast, Western philosophy leaves
the identity of human beings shrouded in deep ambiguity. Misbah
Yazdi presents a distinctive approach to this topic, offering
insights and solutions that warrant further exploration.
* Corresponding Author: Article Address Published on the Journal Site:

Email: vahidi@meybod.ac.ir
ORCID: 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 1 - 6 2 1 1 - 9 9 6 1 http://p-l.journals.miu.ac.ir/article_9026.html

NUMBER OF NUMBER OF NATIONALITY OF
REFERENCES AUTHORS AUTHOR
36 3 (Iran)