Muslim Philosophers
Al-Kindi
Not much information is
available on al-Kindi’s (c. 795-866) personal life, but he was an Arab. He is actually known as “The philosopher of
the Arabs.”[1] His interests went beyond philosophy and
included astrology, mathematics, medicine, music, and optics. Al-Kindi studied Arabic translations of Greek
philosophy, particularly Aristotle’s work, although he had several differing
ideas than Aristotle. He is said to be
the first Muslim philosopher to use Greek philosophy ideas.
Through
philosophy, Al-Kindi believed people will then learn concepts in terms of
reality and then people will also come to know human virtue and the divinity
and unity of God. The most illustrious
and most important philosophy is the knowledge of the first truth, which will
lead to the cause of every truth, according to al-Kindi. He believes matter, motion, and time all have
an origin and an ending. He also tried
to show that philosophy is harmonious with the religion of Islam.[2]
Al-Razi
Al-Razi
(d. 925) was most famous for his work in the medical field. However, he also became an important
philosopher during this time. His main
inspiration came from Plato and one of Plato’s dialogues, Timaeus.[3] He believed that philosophy and religion were
discordant to one another. He was very
unpopular in his day for several of his beliefs, and many of his philosophical
writings have been destroyed.
Al-Razi
believes that God made the world as a “physical playground” for the soul to
fulfill its desire.[4] From there the soul achieves salvation, only
by God’s gift of knowledge. When the
soul gains knowledge, it now also has reason, and that reason can be used to understand
the other four eternal principles of Creator, matter, space, and time (the
fifth is the soul).[5] Al-Razi also had moral thoughts in his
philosophy. He believed the purpose in
life is to, as humanly possible, imitate God.
Also, depending on how the soul acted in the physical world, he said there
is another world that the soul will go to, which does not have death.[6] He also stated that God does not condone
harming others or yourself.
Al-Farabi
Al-Farabi
(c. birth 878) is called the “Father of Islamic Neo-Platonism.”[7] He characterizes God by saying what God is
not, for example al-Farabi says God is indefinable. However, al-Farabi does think God is top on
al-Farbai’s hierarchy, and since everything comes from him, God is then
responsible for everything but in a roundabout fashion.[8] He splits reason up into six main categories
to make it simpler to understand. The
first four categories are prudence, “obviousness” and “immediate recognition,”
natural perception, and “conscience.”[9] The fifth is more complex, but also said to
be the most important by al-Farabi. The
fifth category contains four components, potential intellect, actual intellect,
acquired intellect, and active intellect.
The last category is God/divine reason.[10]
Perhaps
al-Farabi’s greatest contribution to philosophy came in the political
aspect. He lays out qualities a good
leader should have which include, a strong physical stature, a good speaker,
and possessing the desire to learn.
Al-Farabi’s most discussed topic is happiness. He believed that “virtuous cities” would be
places where people work with one another to gain their happiness.[11] He believed that man needed help to attain
real happiness, and that is where the virtuous society, city, and world concept
of al-Farabi’s originates.
Ibn Sina
Ibn
Sina (980-1037) followed in the footsteps of al-Farabi and others by being
another Neo-Platonist. Ibn Sina would
become the most famous of the Muslim Neo-Platonists. Ibn Sina was born in central Asia, and when
he was only thirteen, he started to study medicine.[12] He became an expert and many top physicians
read his works. This is how his name
began to grow.
Besides
being in medicine, Ibn Sina was also a philosopher. He believes that things like the body and
mind spring from God, who is the source of all existence. Also, he says that is an important for humans
to continue learning and gather knowledge.
It’s important for a human to reach a certain knowledge level, so the
human can save their soul by applying this knowledge. Ibn Sina believes the soul to immortal and
having no physical matter. He it has to
be, after all our thoughts are not physical as well as our general
intellect. They are indivisible and
physical substances can be divided.[13] He also believed that God is the root of the
soul that has been perfectly purified. Ibn
Sina contributed heavily to philosophy from a Muslim perspective. His works influenced many philosophers for
generations, not just in the Islamic world, but in Europe as well, including
Thomas Aquinas, a Christian.
Brethren of Purity
The
Brethren of Purity emerged in the 10th century. They published an encyclopedia which included
52 volumes.[14] The exact authors are unknown, but they are
believed to be from a Shi’I background, Isma’ilism more specifically. Their encyclopedia includes everything from
spirituality and the nature of the soul to music, mathematics, and
sciences. Although the base of their
teachings is the Qur’an and other Islamic traditions, the Brethren of Purity
also used the Christian gospels, the Jewish Torah, and other monotheistic
readings from Abraham. They were also
impacted by the Greek philosophers, and old Persian and Indian works.
The
Brethren of Purity believed in “truth in every religion.”[15] At the same time, they also said people
should be critical of every religion, including their own.[16] They believed that the desire for happiness
and salvation are what drive a person to search for knowledge and
rationality. The Brethren’s most well known
work is how they coupled mathematics with philosophy. They use calculations to create some
theories.[17] They were considered to be very liberal in
their day.
Mu’tazilites
Mu’tazilites
received their name from the Arabic word i’tizal, which means to secede. The Mu’tazilites disagreed with the early
theologians, and thus were named.[18] The Mu’tazilites call themselves the “People
of Unity and Justice.”[19] They believe that God is “knowing, powerful,
and seeing,” but due to the human intellect, we cannot say that those traits
vary away from the divine essence.[20] They believe the dine traits need to be
matched up with the divine essence to prevent the “plurality of eternals,”
therefore keeping the unity. The justice
the Mu’tazilites refer to is the justice that God will provide by punishing
sinners and rewarding those who performed good works. By stating this, it means that man has free
will and is held accountable for their actions.
Mu’tazilites also believe that God never uses or spoke to angels or prophets. They believe that an Imam needs to be
appointed rule over the Muslim community (ummah).[21] They also believe that the interpreter of
religious law (the mujtahid) cannot
be incorrect.
Hanbalites
Ahmad
Ibn Hanbal (b. 780) would eventually have a group named after him. He travelled through Arabia, Iraq, and Syria
for many years searching for knowledge.
Hanbal collected the ahadith
of Muhammad. Hanbal immensely believed
that the Qur’an was eternal and uncreated.
A court was set up for inquisition of scholars who stated the Qur’an was
uncreated, by the Caliphs Al-Ma’mum and Al-Mutasim.[22] Hanbal was put in prison and even though
treated harshly, continued to back his own belief. When Caliph Al-Mutawakkil rose to the
Caliphate, Hanbal was released and praised for his unwavering belief. It is said by followers that he saved the
accurate version of the Islamic belief in reference to the Qur’an.
Hanbal’s
followers therefore believe the Qur’an is eternal and uncreated. They also believe that the Qur’an and
traditions of the Prophet Muhammad are the only true sources of Islam. Hanbalites do not believe in stressing
reason, but rather they stress God and what God gives. They believe that God is what he says he is
in the Qur’an and according to Muhammad’s traditions, that is. A Sunni school is set up based on the
Hanbalite beliefs.
Ash’arites
Ash’arism arose in the 10th and 11th
centuries. The Ash’arites wanted to purify
Islam of the non-Islam components that had made their way into Islam.[23] They are named after al-Ash’ari, who is a
descendent of one the Companions of the Prophet. He studied under a Mu’tazilite scholar, but
then changed his views when he was in his forties. From then on he wanted to bring into light
the overall inaccuracy of the Mu’tazilite view.
The
Ash’arites believe God is an eternal and is one Being. They state God is knowing and powerful, can
see, hear, and speak.[24] They did state that the traits God possesses
are original and not the same as the created beings’. The Ash’arites believe that humans are given
actions from God, who creates the action.
This is saying that humans do not have free will, but that God is not
controlling human actions. The
Ash’arites believe it is somewhere in between these two viewpoints. The Ash’arites also think that reason is used
to confirm what revelation has provided, and revelation is the main source of truth.[25]
Al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali
(c. 1055-1111) during his lifetime was one of the most influential
philosophers. He studied at a
prestigious school and was well educated.
This led him to working closely with the Seljuq sultan and his court,
and later with the caliphal court located in Baghdad. Al-Ghazali’s adapted his personal life after
reading some Sufi works and decided that working in such prominent positions
doesn’t fit with living a religious life.
He then went to Damascus and Jerusalem and promised he would never work
in any political environment, including teaching at schools the state sponsors.[26]
Al-Ghazali’s
most notable work was titled, “Incoherence of the Philosophers.”[27] This challenged the prior philosophers’ views
and explained why they were wrong in al-Ghazali’s eyes, and how some even bent
the truth knowingly to prove their theories.
Al-Ghazali believed that the revelations that were given to the early
prophets like Abraham, are the main source of knowing about the human soul and
God’s nature among other topics.[28] He believed philosophy, both the correct and
even the incorrect should be tolerated by the religion of Islam. The only exception is when philosophy touches
the subjects of Muhammad’s prophecy, monotheism, and what the Qur’an
description of the afterlife.[29] He believed that eternal knowledge was God’s
and only God’s.[30] Al-Ghazali was controversial and brought
about the separation of religion and philosophy. He generated many responses over generations,
while rocking his own.
[1]
Kiki Kennedy-Day, “al-Kindi, Abu Yusuf Ya’qub ibn Ishaq (d. c. 866-73),”
Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H029.htm
(accessed October 27, 2012).
[2]
Kiki Kennedy-Day, “al-Kindi, Abu Yusuf Ya’qub ibn Ishaq (d. c. 866-73),”
Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H029.htm
(accessed October 27, 2012).
[3]
Paul E. Walker, “al-Razi, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya’ (d. 925),”
Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H043.htm
(accessed October 27, 2012).
[4]
Paul E. Walker, “al-Razi, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya’ (d. 925),”
Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H043.htm
(accessed October 27, 2012).
[5]
Paul E. Walker, “al-Razi, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya’ (d. 925),”
Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H043.htm
(accessed October 27, 2012).
[6]
Paul E. Walker, “al-Razi, Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya’ (d. 925),”
Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H043.htm
(accessed October 27, 2012).
[7]
Ian Richard Netton, “al-Farabi, Abu Nasr (c. 870-950),” Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H021.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[8]
Ian Richard Netton, “al-Farabi, Abu Nasr (c. 870-950),” Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H021.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[9]
Ian Richard Netton, “al-Farabi, Abu Nasr (c. 870-950),” Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H021.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[10]
Ian Richard Netton, “al-Farabi, Abu Nasr (c. 870-950),” Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H021.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[11]
Ian Richard Netton, “al-Farabi, Abu Nasr (c. 870-950),” Routledge, http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H021.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[12]
Salim Kemal, “Ibn Sina Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn (980-1037),” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/sina/art/ibn%20Sina-REP.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[13]
Salim Kemal, “Ibn Sina Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn (980-1037),” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/sina/art/ibn%20Sina-REP.htm
(accessed October 28, 2012).
[14]
Dr. Nadr El-Bizri, “Brethren of Purity,” The Institute of Ismaili Studies, http://www.iis.ac.uk/view_article.asp?ContentID=106577
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[15]
Dr. Nadr El-Bizri, “Brethren of Purity,” The Institute of Ismaili Studies, http://www.iis.ac.uk/view_article.asp?ContentID=106577
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[16]
Asghar Ali Engineer, “Ikwhan-us Safa: A Rational and Liberal Approach to
Islam,” http://www.amaana.org/ikhwan/ikhwan1.html
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[17]
Asghar Ali Engineer, “Ikwhan-us Safa: A Rational and Liberal Approach to
Islam,” http://www.amaana.org/ikhwan/ikhwan1.html
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[18]
Mir Valiuddin, “Mu’tazalism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/13.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[19]
Mir Valiuddin, “Mu’tazalism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/13.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[20]
Mir Valiuddin, “Mu’tazalism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/13.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[21]
Mir Valiuddin, “Mu’tazalism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/13.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[22]
SunnahOnline.com, “Ahmad ibn Hanbal,” SunnahOnline.com, http://sunnahonline.com/library/biographies/364-ahmad-ibn-hanbal
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[23]
M. Abdul Hye, “Ash’arism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/14.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[24]
M. Abdul Hye, “Ash’arism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/14.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[25]
M. Abdul Hye, “Ash’arism,” http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/hmp/14.htm
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[26]
Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University, “Al-Ghazali,” Frank
Griffel, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/al-ghazali/ (accessed October 29,
2012).
[27]Metaphysics
Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University, “Al-Ghazali,” Frank Griffel, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/al-ghazali/
(accessed October 29, 2012).
[28]
Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University, “Al-Ghazali,” Frank
Griffel, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/al-ghazali/ (accessed October 29,
2012).
[29]
Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University, “Al-Ghazali,” Frank
Griffel, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/al-ghazali/ (accessed October 29,
2012).
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