Research Theme :
Structure and Development of Islamic Religious Thought

KAMADA Shigeru is Professor of Islamic Studies. The major field of his research covers Islamic mystical thought, especially a form called `īrfān or hikma developed in Shi'a Islam, and the interpretation of Islamic sacred texts. He received his B.A. (1974) and M.A. (1976) from the Department of Religious Studies, University of Tokyo. He studied for some years at the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University before joining the Institute in 1984. He also stayed as a research fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in Cairo in 1989-90, and again as a visiting scholar at the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University in 2000-2001.His research focuses on the thought of Mulla Sadra, the most influential figure in the hikma tradition. His interest lies in Mulla Sadra's understanding of the spiritual perfection of the human soul in his mystic-philosophical framework. The mystic philosopher not only quotes many texts from the Qur'ān and hadīth in his discussions in order to verify his arguments, but also composes commentaries on different chapters of the Qur'ān.
Professor Kamada is eager to investigate the role of the interpretation of the Islamic sacred texts in the formation of mystic philosophy.
Among Professor Kamada's publications are "Innovation of Interpretation -- Mullā Sadrā's Qur'ān Interpretation," Literature Vol.1 (4) (July / August 2000): 49-66, "Penetration into the Divine Secret - Mullā Sadrā's Interpretation of the Sacred Texts," Sacred Texts and Men , eds. H. Ichikawa and S. Kamada (Tokyo: Taimeido, 1998): 206-223, "Metempsychosis ( tanāsukh ) in Mullā Sadrā's Thought," Orient 30 / 31 (1995):119-132, "The First Being: Intellect ( 'aql / khiradh ) As the Link Between God's Command and Creation According to Abū Ya'qūb al-Sijistānī ", MIOC 106 (March 1988): 1-33, and Mullā Sadrā's Theory of Soul - Introduction, Arabic Edition and Annotated Japanese Translation of the "Iksīr al-`ārifin ", (Tokyo: Association for the Study of Islamic Thought [University of Tokyo], 1984, v + 107 + 162 + ivpp.).
The Memoirs of Institute of Oriental Cultureand The Monograph Series of the Institute of Oriental Culture are abbreviated in this section as MIOC and MSIOC.