Comparative study of Islamic and non-Islamic thinkers
Hossein Mehrabanifar; Mohammad Ali Salimi
Abstract
Human communication is a fundamental element shaping the nature and structure of societies. Civil society and Madinah Fazilah represent two distinct types of societies, each characterized by different forms of communication. Jürgen Habermas and Abu Nasr Muhammad Al-Farabi are prominent thinkers ...
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Human communication is a fundamental element shaping the nature and structure of societies. Civil society and Madinah Fazilah represent two distinct types of societies, each characterized by different forms of communication. Jürgen Habermas and Abu Nasr Muhammad Al-Farabi are prominent thinkers who have examined human communication, its ideal form, and its role in shaping these two societal models. This study employs a comparative-analytical approach grounded in fundamental methodology to examine and compare the levels of human communication in the thought of these two philosophers. The analysis reveals that both thinkers, adopting a critical perspective on their respective societies and the quality of communication within them, propose an ideal society concerned with rationality, mutual understanding, and collective agreement. Habermas’s concept of communicative rationality, along with his emphasis on rational-critical discourse and consensus-building, is central to establishing truth and legal legitimacy, yet it remains fundamentally rooted in conventional reason without transcending its epistemic limits. In contrast, Al-Farabi’s notion of demonstrative communication and mutual understanding extends beyond the human horizon, achieving its full significance through its connection to the First Leader (Rais al-Awwal) of Madinah Fazilah and its metaphysical relationship with the Active Intellect (al-‘Aql al-Fa‘‘āl). This research provides a foundational framework for re-examining and analyzing diverse communicative systems within the two distinct paradigms of Madinah Fazilah and civil society.
