Resolving the Conflict Between Pleasure and Religious Law (Shari, a) An Examination of the Ontological Levels of Enjoyment from Philosophical-Mystical Perspective

Mirdamadi, S. Mohammad Hossain; Shiravand, Mohsen

doi:10.30470/phm.2026.2068789.2723

Resolving the Conflict Between Pleasure and Religious Law (Shari, a) An Examination of the Ontological Levels of Enjoyment from Philosophical-Mystical Perspective

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

s. mohammad hossain mirdamadi ¹

Mohsen Shiravand ²

¹ Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Literature, Isfahan University, Iran

² گروه معارف اسلامی دانشکده الهیات و معارف اهل بیت دانشگاه اصفهان

10.30470/phm.2026.2068789.2723

Abstract

This study addresses the apparent conflict between humanity’s innate desire for pleasure and the restrictive framework of religious law (Sharia). Adoptaining an integrative approach and employing qualitative content analysis of philosophical and mystical texts, it argues that Sharia does not negate human nature but rather guides and elevates it. By genealogically tracing the concept of pleasure, the research examines key perspectives of Muslim philosophers and mystics, building on the theory of gradational existence (nasut, malakut, and jabarut). The central hypothesis posits that levels of pleasure correspond to degrees of immateriality, evolving from imperfection toward absolute perfection. Findings indicate that material pleasures are inherently transient and limited due to their dependency on matter. While pleasures of the imaginal realm are free from material impurities, they remain constrained by their representational forms. In contrast, intellectual pleasures, attained through union and annihilation in the Divine Essence, are defined as pure, unlimited, and free from imperfection. This coherent framework elucidates the relationship between levels of immateriality and degrees of pleasure, resolving the apparent tension between natural desires and religious injunctions. The outcomes of this research hold potential for application in fields such as spiritual therapy and moral philosophy.

Keywords

: Pleasure

Material World

Imaginal World

Intelligible World

Philosophy of Sharia

Subjects