A few nights ago, I was sitting on the balcony under the moonlight, thinking about an old dilemma. On one hand, I was scrolling through my phone, seeing countless images of luxury travels, expensive restaurants, and fleeting pleasures. On the other hand, I remembered my grandfather’s words, who always said: “To achieve perfection, one must abstain from pleasures, be ascetic, and practice self-discipline.”

This question led me on a multi-year journey through ancient philosophy and Islamic wisdom. From the letters of the Greek philosopher Epicurus to the books of Mulla Sadra of Shiraz. This article is a summary of that journey.

 First: Let’s Get to Know These Two Worlds Better

Imagine you want to reconnect with an old friend you haven’t seen for years. First, you need to understand how they think, what values they hold, and what they have to say.

It’s the same here.

The Epicureanism I’m talking about is worlds apart from the common image of “extreme hedonism.” In his famous letter to one of his students, the Greek philosopher Epicurus says: “True pleasure means peace of mind, lasting well-being, and freedom from pain and anxiety.” He taught his students not to chase fleeting pleasures, because they ultimately lead to regret. As one of his followers put it: “Peace means being sheltered by knowledge from the storm of desires.”

On the other hand, in our own tradition, we have three different perspectives on pleasure:

– The Jurisprudential View: Pleasure is understood within the framework of halal (permissible) and haram (forbidden).
– The Mystical View: Pleasure means divine longing and spiritual joy.
– The Philosophical View: Pleasure means existential perfection and understanding truth.

Our focus here is primarily on the third view – the transcendent philosophy of Mulla Sadra, which has much to say.

 Second: Finding Common Ground

This is where things get interesting. When we place these two worlds side by side, we discover three remarkable points of connection.

The first common point is “peace of mind.” In Epicurean philosophy, this state is called “Ataraxia” – that lasting sense of well-being where a person is neither troubled by past regrets nor anxious about the future. In our own tradition, this state closely resembles “peace of heart” (itminan). Both point to a desirable psychological state where one has achieved inner balance.

The second common point is **”freedom from pain,”** which Epicureanism refers to as “Aponia.” Without freedom from suffering and pain, pleasure cannot be experienced. In the Islamic tradition, this concept connects with “health” and “well-being.” Both are necessary conditions for experiencing pleasure – a negative condition that indicates the absence of obstacles.

The third common point is the emphasis on **”lasting pleasure.”** Epicurus taught his students not to pursue fleeting sensory pleasures, as they lead to regret. Instead, he valued pleasures that are stable and enduring. In the Islamic tradition, this corresponds to “intellectual pleasure” – the joy of understanding, the pleasure of discovering truth, the delight of approaching perfection. Both refer to pleasures that transcend momentary physical changes.

This comparison shows that these two paths are not as far apart as we might think. It seems that if Epicurus and Mulla Sadra were contemporaries, they could have engaged in profound dialogue.

Third: Not Everything Can Be Accepted

Now it’s time for fair judgment. For this evaluation, we draw four criteria from Mulla Sadra’s philosophy:

1. The Primacy of Existence (Asalat al-Wujud): From Mulla Sadra’s perspective, “existence” is fundamental, not “essence.” Pleasure, too, is an existential reality, not a conventional concept. This means pleasure should be sought in the depths of being, not on the margins.
2. The Gradation of Existence (Tashkik al-Wujud): Existence has levels or grades, like light ranging from weak to intense. The same applies to pleasure. Sensory pleasure, intellectual pleasure, spiritual pleasure – all are levels of a single reality.
3. Substantial Motion (Harakat al-Jawhariyyah): We humans are constantly changing throughout our lives. Not just our behavior, but our very essence is in motion. Therefore, we can evolve our pleasures. We can move from the pleasure of eating to the pleasure of understanding.
4. Union with Truth (Ittihad al-‘Aqil wa al-Ma’qul):** The highest pleasure occurs when a person becomes one with truth. When one approaches truth so closely that there is no longer any separation between the knower and the known. This is the pleasure of nearness to God.

With these four criteria, we examine both the Greek perspective and our own traditional views. The goal is not destruction; the goal is to see what materials each offers for building a good life.

Fourth: Now We Can Build a New Model

After understanding, comparing, and evaluating, it’s time to build.

The final idea is this: we take concepts like “peace of mind” from Epicurus, but redefine them within the framework of Mulla Sadra’s philosophy. We show that true peace is that sense of well-being achieved in the shadow of nearness to God and meaning.

This fresh perspective responds to today’s challenges:
– Neither the traditional view that makes life bitter and joyless
– Nor modern hedonism that leaves people empty and confused
– But a middle path: pleasure chosen consciously, purposefully, and compatible with spirituality

What Does This Have to Do with My Life?

You might ask what these philosophical discussions have to do with everyday life.

The answer is this: All of us, whether we realize it or not, grapple with this question. Whenever we hesitate between a fleeting entertainment and a meaningful task, whenever we feel our joys are empty and meaningless, whenever we want both to live well and to become better people – we are actually engaging with this very issue.

The important point is that these two paths are not separate. We can both enjoy life and achieve transcendence. We can both benefit from the world’s blessings and draw near to meaning. We just need to learn to choose our pleasures consciously.

Further Reading

1. Sadr al-Din Shirazi. *Al-Hikmah al-Muta’aliyah fi al-Asfar al-‘Aqliyyah al-Arba’ah*. Tehran: Sadra Islamic Philosophy Institute.
   2. Tabatabai, Sayyid Muhammad Husayn. *Nihayat al-Hikmah*. Qom: Islamic Publishing Institute.
   3. Mutahhari, Murtaza. *Sharh-e Mabsut-e Manzumeh*. Tehran: Hikmat.
   4. Javadi Amoli, Abdullah. *Rahiq-e Makhtum: Sharh-e Hikmat-e Muta’aliyah*. Qom: Isra.
   5. Hasanzadeh Amoli, Hasan. *Ittihad-e ‘Aqil be Ma’qul*. Tehran: Hikmat.
   6. Epicurus. *Letters and Maxims*. Translated by Reza Kaviani. Tehran: Ney Publishing.
   7. Lucretius. *On the Nature of Things*. Translated by Mirjalaleddin Kazzazi. Tehran: Markaz Publishing.
   8. Babaei, Parviz. *History of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to Epicurus*. Tehran: Agah Publishing.
   9. Russell, Bertrand. *A History of Western Philosophy* (Volume 1). Translated by Najaf Daryabandari. Tehran: Parvaz Publishing.
   10. Ghazali, Abu Hamid Muhammad. *Kimiyay-e Sa’adat*. Edited by Hossein Khadivjam. Tehran: Elmi Farhangi Publishing.
   11. Fayd Kashani, Mullah Muhsin. *Al-Mahajjat al-Bayda fi Tahdhib al-Ahya*. Qom: Islamic Publications Office.