Muslim
philosophical trends
The
development of Muslim philosophy during the Abbasid period must be seen in
light of the following: (1) sectarian conflict that developed after the passing
of the Prophet and saw schism in the Muslim community which broke up into the
Shi‘i, Khariji and majority Sunni factions over the question of rightful
leadership; (2) the development of the disciplines of jurisprudence, Qur’anic
studies and theology; (3) theological arguments between the Traditionists and
Qadaris, and the rise of the Mu‘tazili school of theology which utilized Greek
dialectical tools; and (4) the founding of the institution of the House of
Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikma), in Baghdad, which provided for scholarly
activity including the translation of Greek texts.
Philosophy
entered the western part of the Muslim world (in Spain and North Africa) after
the third/ninth century. However, it did not flower until the fifth/eleventh
and sixth/twelfth centuries after the works of eastern thinkers such as
al-Farabi (known in Europe as Alfarabi) (d. 339/950), Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (d.
429/1037) and al-Ghazali (Algazel) (d. 505/1111) became available to Muslims
living in Spain and North Africa. Major western figures included Ibn Bajja
(Avempace) (d. 533/1138), Ibn Tufayl (Abubacer) (d. 581/1185) and Ibn Rushd
(Averroes) (d. 595/1198), who gave a spirited defence of philosophy in his
refutation of al-Ghazali’s The Incoherence of the Philosophers (Tahafut
al-falasifa).
Western
Islamic philosophy had a major influence on thinkers in medieval Christian (and
Jewish) Europe, as well as the eastern Islamic world, with the export of the
writings of philosophers such as Ibn Bajja, Ibn Tufayl and Ibn Rushd. However,
a new development in the history of Islamic philosophy occurred with the
resurgence of traditionalism as found in the works of figures such as Ibn
Taymiyya (d. 728/1328) and the synthesis of mysticism with philosophy. While
the impact of traditionalism on philosophy was devastating (within Sunni
Islam), from the sixth/twelfth century a new type of philosophy wedded to
mysticism can be seen in the rise of hikma (wisdom), particularly within the
Shi‘i world. Shihab al-Din al-Suhrawardi (d. 587/1191) founded the
illuminationist (ishraq) school of theosophy.
Mir Damad
(d. 1041/1631) revived Ibn Sina’s philosophy, giving it a Shi‘i ishraqi
character. Mulla Sadra (d. 1050/1640) harmonized revelation, rational
demonstration and gnosis (irfan). The new philosophy spread to the
Indian subcontinent and influenced figures such as Shah Wali Allah (d.
1176/1762).
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