Relating Ethics as Part of Practical Wisdom to Ontological Degrees in Imam Khomeini’s Thought and Its Civilizational Implications

Document Type : Original Article

Author

PhD (Specialized), Western Philosophy, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

One of the longstanding topics in Islamic philosophy, particularly within the domain of practical wisdom, is the discussion of ethics. Influenced by Nicomachean ethics, Islamic philosophers have generally adopted an Aristotelian approach to ethics. Nevertheless, they have also introduced their own innovations, many of which stem from engaging with Islamic sources such as the Qur’an and Hadith.
Given their ontological approach to phenomena, Islamic philosophers have sought to offer metaphysical interpretations of ethics as well. A notable contemporary example is Imam Khomeini’s analysis in his book *Forty Hadith*, where he examines a narration from *al-Kāfī* regarding the types of knowledge and correlates it with the three ontological levels of cognition in Illuminationist–Sadrian philosophy (i.e., the intellectual, imaginal, and material realms). Based on this correlation, Imam Khomeini identifies the imaginal realm as the locus of ethics within the human being, and sees ethical knowledge as concerned with cultivating this dimension.
This article employs a library-based and analytical method to explore Imam Khomeini’s ideas in light of the Islamic ethical and philosophical traditions, assessing the coherence of his views and their theoretical foundations.

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References

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Journal of Interdisciplinary Civilizational Studies of the Islamic Revolution
Volume 5, Issue 17 - Serial Number 17
Spring 2026
May 2026
Pages 117-137

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History

  • Receive Date: 28 October 2024
  • Revise Date: 29 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 16 November 2025
  • Publish Date: 21 April 2026

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