The Sufi Position with Respect to the Problem of Universals

The Sufi position on the existence of universals cannot be discussed except as part of the problem of universals in Islamic thought as a whole. I should like, therefore, by way of introduction, to summarize the positions of the various Islamic schools on this question. Muslim works on logic distinguish between three kinds of universal: the natural universal (al-kull̄ı al-t .ab̄ı‘̄ı), the logical universal (al-kull̄ı al-mant .iq̄ı), and the mental universal (al-kull̄ı al-‘aql̄ı). The difference between each of these is usually explained as follows: If one says for example, that humanity is a universal (al-insān kull̄ı) three concepts are involved: first, the concept of humanity as it is in itself (min h. ayth huwa huwa), without regard to whether it is universal or particular. This is the absolute quiddity or essence (al-māh̄ıyah al-mut .laqah) unconditioned by anything (lā bi-shart .). It is known as the natural universal; second, the concept of universality, which is predicated of humanity. This is known as the logical universal; and third, the combination of these two concepts, that is humanity plus universality, or humanity insofar as universality is predicated of it. This is called the abstracted quiddity (al-māh̄ıyah al-mujarradah), or the quiddity conditioned by nothing (bishart . lā) rather than unconditioned by anything (lā bi-shart .). This is known as the mental universal. It was generally agreed that both the logical universal and the mental universal existed only in the mind. What was in question was the external existence of the natural universal. In the histories of Western philosophy the problem of universals is usually traced back to the passage in Porphyry’s Isagoge in which he states that he will “refuse to say concerning genera and species whether they subsist, or whether, subsisting, they are corporeal or incorporeal, and whether they are separated from sensibles or placed in sensibles and in accord with them.” Although no one as far as I know, has traced the controversy over universals in Islam to this passage in Porphyry’s Isagoge, it is, however, fairly clear that the