An Islamic Philosophy of Virtuous Religions

An Islamic Philosophy of Virtuous Religions
Author: Joshua Parens
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 182
Release: 2012-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 079148212X

Joshua Parens provides an introduction to the thought of Alfarabi, a tenth-century Muslim political philosopher whose writings are particularly relevant today. Parens focuses on Alfarabi's Attainment of Happiness, in which he envisions the kind of government and religion needed to fulfill Islam's ambition of universal acceptance. Parens argues that Alfarabi seeks to temper the hopes of Muslims and other believers that one homogeneous religion might befit the entire world and counsels acceptance of the possibility of a multiplicity of virtuous religions. Much of Alfarabi's approach is built upon Plato's Republic, which Parens also examines in order to provide the necessary background for a proper understanding of Alfarabi's thought.

Reason Unbound

Reason Unbound
Author: Mohammad Azadpur
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 191
Release: 2011-08-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1438437641

This intriguing work offers a new perspective on Islamic Peripatetic philosophy, critiquing modern receptions of such thought and highlighting the contribution it can make to contemporary Western philosophy. Mohammad Azadpur focuses on the thought of Alfarabi and Avicenna, who, like ancient Greek philosophers and some of their successors, viewed philosophy as a series of spiritual exercises. However, Muslim Peripatetics differed from their Greek counterparts in assigning importance to prophecy. The Islamic philosophical account of the cultivation of the soul to the point of prophecy unfolds new vistas of intellectual and imaginative experience and accords the philosopher an exceptional dignity and freedom. With reference to both Islamic and Western philosophers, Azadpur discusses how Islamic Peripatetic thought can provide an antidote to some of modernity's philosophical problems. A discussion of the development of later Islamic Peripatetic thought is also included.

Alfarabi and the Foundation of Islamic Political Philosophy

Alfarabi and the Foundation of Islamic Political Philosophy
Author: Muhsin S. Mahdi
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2020-05-21
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 022677466X

In this work, Muhsin Mahdi—widely regarded as the preeminent scholar of Islamic political thought—distills more than four decades of research to offer an authoritative analysis of the work of Alfarabi, the founder of Islamic political philosophy. Mahdi, who also brought to light writings of Alfarabi that had long been presumed lost or were not even known, presents this great thinker as his contemporaries would have seen him: as a philosopher who sought to lay the foundations for a new understanding of revealed religion and its relation to the tradition of political philosophy. Beginning with a survey of Islamic philosophy and a discussion of its historical background, Mahdi considers the interrelated spheres of philosophy, political thought, theology, and jurisprudence of the time. He then turns to Alfarabi's concept of "the virtuous city," and concludes with an in-depth analysis of the trilogy, Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. This philosophical engagement with the writings of and about Alfarabi will be essential reading for anyone interested in medieval political philosophy.

The Heavens and the Earth: Graeco-Roman, Ancient Chinese, and Mediaeval Islamic Images of the World

The Heavens and the Earth: Graeco-Roman, Ancient Chinese, and Mediaeval Islamic Images of the World
Author: Vittorio Cotesta
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 653
Release: 2021-08-16
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9004464727

Vittorio Cotesta’s The Heavens and the Earth traces the origin of the images of the world typical of the Graeco-Roman, Ancient Chinese and Medieval Islamic civilisations. Each of them had its own peculiar way of understanding the universe, life, death, society, power, humanity and its destiny. The comparative analysis carried out here suggests that they all shared a common human aspiration despite their differences: human being is unique; differences are details which enrich its image. Today, the traditions derived from these civilisations are often in competition and conflict. Reference to a common vision of humanity as a shared universal entity should lead, instead, to a quest for understanding and dialogue.

Metaphysics as Rhetoric

Metaphysics as Rhetoric
Author: Joshua Parens
Publisher: SUNY Press
Total Pages: 242
Release: 1995-01-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9780791425732

Parens argues that Alfarabi, the tenth-century Muslim philosopher, demonstrated that Plato is not the originator of Western metaphysics, and that what appears to be Plato's metaphysics was intended as a rhetorical defense of his politics.

The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam

The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Publisher: Islam International
Total Pages: 263
Release: 1996
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 185372193X

"Originally written for the Conference of Great Religions held at Lahore on December 26-29, 1896, the Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam has since served as an introduction to Islam for seekers after the truth and religious knowledge in different parts of the world. The present issue includes several "lost" pages not included in the essay that was read out at Lahore. It deals with the following five broad themes, set by the moderators of the Conference: 1. The physical, moral and spiritual states of man 2. The state of man after death 3. The object of man's life and the means to its attainment 4. The operation of the practical ordinances of the Law in this life and the next 5. Sources of Divine knowledge."--Publisher's description.

Faith and Freedom

Faith and Freedom
Author: David B. Burrell
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2004-11-12
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9781405121712

In this book, David Burrell, one of the foremost philosophical theologians in the English-speaking world, presents the best of his work on creation and human freedom. A collection of writings by one of the foremost philosophers of religion in the English-speaking world. Brings together in one volume the best of David Burrell’s work on creation and human freedom from the last twenty years. Dismantles the ‘libertarian’ approach to freedom underlying Western political and economic systems. Engages with Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and with modern and pre-modern systems of thought. The author is noted for his rigorous approach, his wry humor, his intellectual subtlety and his generous spirit.

Islam and Good Governance

Islam and Good Governance
Author: M. A. Muqtedar Khan
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2019-04-08
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1137548320

This book advances an Islamic political philosophy based on the concept of Ihsan, which means to do beautiful things. The author moves beyond the dominant model of Islamic governance advanced by modern day Islamists. The political philosophy of Ihsan privileges process over structure, deeds over identity, love over law and mercy and forgiveness over retribution. The work invites Muslims to move away from thinking about the form of Islamic government and to strive to create a self-critical society that defends national virtue and generates institutions and practices that provide good governance.

Contemporary Bioethics

Contemporary Bioethics
Author: Mohammed Ali Al-Bar
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2015-05-27
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3319184288

This book discusses the common principles of morality and ethics derived from divinely endowed intuitive reason through the creation of al-fitr' a (nature) and human intellect (al-‘aql). Biomedical topics are presented and ethical issues related to topics such as genetic testing, assisted reproduction and organ transplantation are discussed. Whereas these natural sources are God’s special gifts to human beings, God’s revelation as given to the prophets is the supernatural source of divine guidance through which human communities have been guided at all times through history. The second part of the book concentrates on the objectives of Islamic religious practice – the maqa' sid – which include: Preservation of Faith, Preservation of Life, Preservation of Mind (intellect and reason), Preservation of Progeny (al-nasl) and Preservation of Property. Lastly, the third part of the book discusses selected topical issues, including abortion, assisted reproduction devices, genetics, organ transplantation, brain death and end-of-life aspects. For each topic, the current medical evidence is followed by a detailed discussion of the ethical issues involved.

Dante’s Pluralism and the Islamic Philosophy of Religion

Dante’s Pluralism and the Islamic Philosophy of Religion
Author: G. Stone
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2006-05-12
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1403983097

This book explores the Islamic roots of the Western values of tolerance and religious pluralism, and considers Dante from the perspective of the Arab-Islamic philosophical tradition. It examines the relations between Islamic and Western thought, the historical origins of Western values, and the tradition of tolerance in classical Islamic thought.