You probably haven’t heard of Mulla Sadra. 

That means you also probably don’t  know that he’s a 17th century Islamic philosopher who wrote about everything from metaphysics to the human soul. 

But I can almost guarantee that you don’t have a copy of his magnum opus, “The Transcendent Philosophy of the Four Journeys of the Intellect” on your bookshelf at home. (I know. What a title.)

And I don’t either. That’s because, to get it, I’d have to buy a used copy of a translated edition for $215. And I have exactly $41 in my wallet. So… 

I was really in a dilemma at the start of my senior year. You see, a few months ago, I didn’t know who Mulla Sadra was either. But since then, I’ve decided to write my IB diploma extended essay on analyzing the literary debate of fate and free will through Sadra’s work on divine pre-destination.

I learned about him through other scholars’ essays and theses. And they were all citing his book: “The Four Journeys.” And to better understand Sadra, that’s exactly what I need to read. I looked for it all summer. It wasn’t in the Johnson County Library. I couldn’t find a PDF online. There was only the $215 used edition. Or one book in the original Arabic that was printed in 1709 for $3,750. Which definitely wasn’t happening… 

In one last effort to find “The Four Journeys,” I emailed our school librarian, Mrs. Stigge, the week before school started to explain my predicament and ask for help.

And during my third hour on the first day of school, I opened an email from her titled “Good news!!” Mrs. Stigge found one English copy of  “The Four Journeys” — the only copy available in all of the American public library system. 

And it was in the Library of Congress. 

And they were willing to let me borrow it.

And a few weeks ago, I went to the Central Resource Library and there was a blue book wrapped in white paper on the holds shelf with my last name on it. The book was heavier than I expected,  and 747 pages long. The only one in the country.