Rereading and interpreting the ideas of leading Muslim thinkers
Faezeh Hajihosseini; Mustafa Zali
Abstract
In Farabi’s philosophical framework, theoretical virtue constitutes the foundation of the four cardinal virtues, with moral virtue occupying a central role. However, acquiring moral virtues depends on human agency, as actions performed unintentionally are not considered virtuous. Moreover, the ...
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In Farabi’s philosophical framework, theoretical virtue constitutes the foundation of the four cardinal virtues, with moral virtue occupying a central role. However, acquiring moral virtues depends on human agency, as actions performed unintentionally are not considered virtuous. Moreover, the attainment of primary intellectual principles necessary for theoretical virtue is not universally within human control. Consequently, achieving virtue appears inaccessible to all individuals.Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study examines the different types of virtue in Farabi’s philosophy, highlighting the foundational role of theoretical virtue and exploring whether moral virtue can be attained despite its dependence on theoretical virtue and the involuntary nature of acquiring its principles. The analysis focuses on innate disposition (fitra) and the Active Intellect as key obstacles to universal virtue. Natural differences in innate disposition and in individuals’ capacities to engage with the Active Intellect indicate that virtue cannot be achieved solely through personal effort. To address these limitations, Farabi proposes a political solution: the establishment of a virtuous city governed by a ruler of high theoretical and practical virtue. Through education, training, and legislation, the ruler can guide citizens toward moral virtue. Education transmits theoretical concepts via persuasive and imaginative discourse, while training cultivates virtuous behavior through practice and reinforcement. This civic and political framework enables the attainment of moral virtue and varying degrees of happiness, compensating for natural disparities among individuals without eliminating them.
Rereading and interpreting the ideas of leading Muslim thinkers
Fereshte Abolhassani niaraki
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to investigate the role and influence of wisdom, thinking-centeredness, and rationality in the design of utopia according to Farabi's theory as one of the main underlying factors in designing utopia (in moral dimensions). In addition, the character of the influence of rationalism ...
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The purpose of this article is to investigate the role and influence of wisdom, thinking-centeredness, and rationality in the design of utopia according to Farabi's theory as one of the main underlying factors in designing utopia (in moral dimensions). In addition, the character of the influence of rationalism on the ethics of societies, which has been investigated in Farabi’s moral legacy, is analyzed. The article uses an analytical-rational methodology that employs various conceptual, propositional, and system analyses. Farabi has described society as a structure or system and an ordered set, and his discussions refer to a collective order comparable to that of the cosmos. Accordingly, to create a more ideal society, some thinkers have argued that reason and logic are the most important factors, not only for individuals and their moral values, but for the entire system as a whole. This is reflected in the qualities of the Utopian leader (who possesses the maximum level of rationality) and the citizens’ morality. In order to attain their ideal state and become the epitome of virtue, citizens must use their intellect (nous) to make consistent and long-lasting judgments and evaluations. The intellectual virtues that result from practical reason are intended for both citizens and their domestic and public affairs, and both individual and social happiness depend on wisdom. However, reason and rationality are not the only factors that contribute to the health and contentment of citizens and society, but they are the most crucial ones that generate additional elements.
Comparative study of Islamic and non-Islamic thinkers
Mohammad Hossein Norouzi; Javad NazariMoghaddam
Abstract
How the reciprocal rights and responsibilities of citizens and the government are one of the most essential topics in the social sciences and politics, particularly in contemporary societies. Parallel to the transformation of political and social structures in societies and the emergence of the modern ...
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How the reciprocal rights and responsibilities of citizens and the government are one of the most essential topics in the social sciences and politics, particularly in contemporary societies. Parallel to the transformation of political and social structures in societies and the emergence of the modern government, the concept of citizenship and the role of the citizen as one of the most crucial social elements in the modern society, as well as the political and social rights and reciprocal responsibilities of the government and citizens, became the focus of social scientists and political philosophers. In this regard, we will analyze the issue of citizenship from the perspectives of Alasdair MacIntyre and John Rawls as representatives of the two approaches, collectivism and liberalism, and compare Farabi's views to these. Farabi's formulation of relations draws people from Medina with the concept of “Ahal al-Madina.” The comparative study of the terms “citizenship” and “citizen” allows for a more accurate comprehension of the relationships between individuals in civil life. In this study, a descriptive, analytic, and comparative investigation of the fundamental components of the concept of citizenship and its related dimensions in the thought of Farabi, Alasdair MacIntyre, and John Rawls has been undertaken. The findings of this study indicate that Rawls and McIntyre have profoundly different views on the framework of the concept of citizenship. However, in certain aspects, such as the priority of the public good over individual rights and interests, Farabi’s and McIntyre’s ideas are similar and closely related.
Rereading and interpreting the ideas of leading Muslim thinkers
mohammadreza ghaeminik; hamid parsania
Abstract
Abu Nasr al-Farabi, as the founder of Islamic philosophy, emphasizing on Islamic teachings, attempted to re-read and revolutionize Greek sciences. Farabi's civil science, keeping harmony with the Islamic culture, is a result of this scientific endeavor. This article tries to explain this attempt ...
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Abu Nasr al-Farabi, as the founder of Islamic philosophy, emphasizing on Islamic teachings, attempted to re-read and revolutionize Greek sciences. Farabi's civil science, keeping harmony with the Islamic culture, is a result of this scientific endeavor. This article tries to explain this attempt using a fundamental methodology. Fundamental methodology explains how scientific theories articulated considering three theoretical dimensions including logical-epistemological, existential-social, and the impact of fundamental cultural interactions on the formation of a theory. In the third dimension, when a culture encounters with another one actively, the elements of the second culture are re-read on the base of fundamental elements of the first one. In the process of revision and reviewing, some elements of the second culture can be accepted and some others will be rejected. As a result, we witness a case of reconciliation of indigenous and exogenous cultures. Based on Farabi's civil science, fundamental elements of Islamic culture, formed by Rasoul (Prophet) and Greek political philosophy can be interpreted by means of a connection to active intellect (aqle fa`al).
shahnaz sedaghat zadegan
Abstract
The main aim of the present paper is indicating the social role of philosophy according to two Muslim thinkers, namely Abonasr Farabi and Jamal Al-din Asad Abadi. The social role of philosophy is firmly related to its function and its status among other types of knowledge. Based on our literature review, ...
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The main aim of the present paper is indicating the social role of philosophy according to two Muslim thinkers, namely Abonasr Farabi and Jamal Al-din Asad Abadi. The social role of philosophy is firmly related to its function and its status among other types of knowledge. Based on our literature review, four dimensions of social role of philosophy include the status of philosophy, expectations from philosophy, the right of philosophy, and the needed norms of philosophy. We reviewed the most important books written by Farabi and Asad Abadi comparatively and benefited from content analysis technique. We found the main social role of philosophy according to both thinkers is indicating the prosperity path and moderation of both individual and society. Therefore, philosophy is not just a theoretical knowledge; it is an applied knowledge. But who is responsible in terms of applying philosophy? Farabi believes this responsibility is on the shoulders of “prime boss” who is expected to use rational and logical methods. Asad Abadi, on the other hand, insisted on scientists, leaders and philosophers who are equipped by rational method of thought (even poetry) inspired by Quran. According to Farabi an important problem is disparity of Muslim’s societies. Hence, he rejects any disruptive knowledge. By contrast, he is interested in enhancing solidarity through the logical and rational way of thought, which is philosophy. Asad Abadi focuses on deprivation and poverty and his solution to the problem is philosophy which helps to find moderation point in life of individual, group and society.
Rereading and interpreting the ideas of leading Muslim thinkers
Hosseindad Bayani
Abstract
The methodology and strategies of research in social sciences are of great importance and momentum. Although very little attention has been paid, in the early scientific literature, to logic and methodology about generating knowledge, certain early Muslim scholars such as Farabi and Ibn-e Khaldun have ...
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The methodology and strategies of research in social sciences are of great importance and momentum. Although very little attention has been paid, in the early scientific literature, to logic and methodology about generating knowledge, certain early Muslim scholars such as Farabi and Ibn-e Khaldun have made valuable conscious efforts in methodology, research techniques and scientific standards that are characteristic of contemporary style. Especially Farabi's profound reflections and accurate observations of methodology have made him a pioneer of methodological issues. Delving into Farabi's works such as Kitab Ihsa' al-'Ulum, 'Ilm-e Madani , Al-Madina al-Fadila and some other works that deal with methodology, this study seeks to extract, classify and explain the rules and principles of methodology developed and used by the author. Thus attempts have been made to elaborate on the methods used by Farabi to collect and analyze data and critically assess others' viewpoints. Before that, this study discusses assumptions about the nature of social reality, called ontological assumptions, and also a number of assumptions relating to the method through which knowledge can be obtained about this reality i.e. epistemological and anthropological assumptions that precede methodology.
Rereading and interpreting the ideas of leading Muslim thinkers
Mohammad Hosein Badamchi; Hamid Parsania
Abstract
The principal problem in studying Farabi’s political philosophy is working out the dilemma of his thought, which has adopted three sources: Greek political philosophy, Iranshahri (Persian Polis) pre-Islamic political thoughts, and Islamic courses; who doesn’t accommodate properly in orientalist’s ...
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The principal problem in studying Farabi’s political philosophy is working out the dilemma of his thought, which has adopted three sources: Greek political philosophy, Iranshahri (Persian Polis) pre-Islamic political thoughts, and Islamic courses; who doesn’t accommodate properly in orientalist’s trinary category: Greek Political Philosophy/ Fighi Shari’at-Name/ Iranian Siasat-Name. This article dividing the overall framework of presented readings of Farabi (offers by multiple Western or Iranian orientalists) into three main positions: Describing Status (source discovering questions)/ Interpretation Status (identity discovering questions)/ Inference Status (Civilization questions); assuming the great importance of the second status, claims the principal issue in interpretation and identity discovering of Farabi’s Thought is the question of “the way of gathering Reason-Revelation or Islam-Greek philosophy together” and Farabi’s special answer to it. Therefore, criticizing some typologies presented to categorize the multiple interpretations, the authors hold the fourfold category (non-Muslim philosopher/ non-philosopher theologian, non-Muslim Nationalist/ founder of Islamic Philosophy) in which three former ones have established on philosophical refusal of making Rationality compatible with Religion, and the latter last one stands on possibility of making philosophy compatible with Islam. Ultimately evaluating Seyed Javad Tabatabaee’s treatises with this framework, reveals that we meet more than one Farabi in his works. By and large Tabatabaee, depending on the content and context of the debates, has introduced one of the first three Farabi types, evolving three contradictory inferences about Farabi’s intellectual role in Islamic civilization: (leading to) temporary appearance of Islamic Humanistic Age/ gradually deterioration of political thought in Iran/ resistance and preserving Iran-state against Ideological pan-Arabism). Three contradictory interpretations and inferences which eventually degrades the academic credit of Tabatabaee’s works and leads to diverging the unity of his reading of Farabi.
