Muhammad Rustom’s outstanding The Triumph of Mercy is a beautifully
written study on the celebrated Islamic philosopher Mulla Sadra (d.
1050/1640). The author presents the essence of Sadra’s thought in the context
of Tafsīr Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, his commentary on the Qur’an’s opening chapter,
and discusses his methodology, influences, and spiritual outlook. From the
myriad discussions in each chapter, which display the author’s depth and
breadth of scholarship, the work is not only a study of Mulla Sadra’s thought
but also a précis of the Islamic spiritual tradition itself. This should come as
no surprise since the point of departure is Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, which embraces
the entirety of the Qur’anic message within its seven verses.
American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences