Asrār al-ḥikmah

work by Sabzevārī

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The Asrār al-ḥikmah ("The Secrets of Wisdom") is a significant work by the Iranian philosopher Hājjī Hādī Sabzevārī. Written at the request of the Qājār king of Iran, it serves as an exposition and clarification of the philosophical concepts of Mullā Ṣadrā.1

Sabzevārī's doctrines are a synthesis of gnosis (esoteric spiritual knowledge), philosophy, and revelation, advancing the ḥikmah (wisdom) school of Islamic philosophy. He differed from previous thinkers by classifying knowledge as an essence of the human soul, rather than an external quality. This work, along with his Arabic treatise Sharḥ manẓūmah, remains a foundational text for studying ḥikmah doctrines in Iran.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Hājjī Hādī Sabzevārī
…the Shāh, he wrote the Asrār al-ḥikmah (“The Secrets of Wisdom”), which, together with his Arabic treatise Sharḥ manzumah (“A Treatise on Logic in Verse”), remains a basic text for the study of ḥikmat doctrines in Iran. Not limited to philosophy, he also wrote poetry under the name of Asrār…
Read More
…the Shāh, he wrote the Asrār al-ḥikmah (“The Secrets of Wisdom”), which, together with his Arabic treatise Sharḥ manzumah (“A Treatise on Logic in Verse”), remains a basic text for the study of ḥikmat doctrines in Iran. Not limited to philosophy, he also wrote poetry under the name of Asrār…
Read More