According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency – ABNA – with the efforts of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly’s department of international affairs and cultural consultation of Islamic republic of Iran in Bulgaria, the book "Imaam Qaaeb" (The Absent Imam) by Henry Corbin was translated and published.
Professor Wolinbolf is the translator of this book who translated it from French to Bulgarian and organized it in 10 volumes and 273 pages.
The book, which contains the studies and discoveries of a famous French Iran expert and Islamic scholar about Imam Mahdi, was cited by western researchers and scholars as a philosophical and religious work.
Henry Corbin looks into the reasons of Islamic philosophers and scholars about Imam Mahdi and writes about Imam Mahdi’s life and his story of absence. He also explains and interprets the meaning of many Shia ideological pillars like anticipation, leadership, current Imam, emersion, judgement day in this book and acknowledges Shias and Iranians’ beliefs to Imam Mahdi among the religious beliefs.
The first volume of the book The Absent Imam is for knowing the prophet and Ithna Ashari Shia Islam. The author discusses topics like Islamic beliefs, Iranian theosophy, Transcendent wisdom and Iranian ideas, as well as ancient Iran for getting a better understanding of Messianic ideas. In this regard, ideas of Roozbahan Baqli and Mulla Sadra are investigated and one volume of this book is about comparative study between the ideas of Heidegger and Suhrawardi.
Henry Corbin points to Imam Mahdi’s minor and major absence and calls Imam Mahdi (Our age’s Imam) in this book. He believes that Shias’ job in the age of absence is to search for Imam Mahdi and writes, " Some believers, understood the grace of his presence and reaching to him and met him in a dream world".
Henry Corbin writes about Imam Mahdi’s birth in the following fashion: "when the eleventh Imam was in the prime of youth and was treading the way of development and perfection, a Christian princess from the Byzantine, known as Nargis or Narjes khatoon converted to Islam in dream world by Hazrat Fatime Zahra, the mother of Imams. She accepted a religion which will bring peace to all people in a brand new world. Narjes Khatoon (who was from the line of apostles) met the young Imam in a dream world to know her destined troth… at this time Jesus Christ (PBUH) gives his daughter (disciples) to the children of Prophet Muhammad and then deep inside of this young couple’s soul, revelation of God will be done…".
About the author:
Henry Corbin born in 1903, was a French philosopher, Iran expert, Islamic scholar and Shia expert who spent part of his life in Iran and Middle-east.
History of Islamic philosophy, Iranian philosophy and comparative philosophy, Code of Chivalry, Land of the heaven, the human body in the resurrection, Ibn Sina and mystical allegory, Introduction of Mulla Sadra’s Almshar, Illumination wisdom and Ancient Iran’s philosophy, shining human in Iranian Mysticism and Creative imagination in the mysticism of Ibn Arabic are some of his works.
Corbin was under the influence of Allameh Tbatabai and he is said to have converted to Shiite Islam. He passed away in 1978.
About the translator:
Mohammad Ali Kyani, Islamic Republc of Iran’s cultural attache in Sofia, thanked professor Wolinbolf for his efforts to introduce Iranian-Islamic culture and thoughts to the Bulgarian scientific community in his meeting with him.