The History of Philosophy in IslamBoer, T. J. de (Tjitze J.)
Islamic
The History of Philosophy in Islam
Boer, T. J. de (Tjitze J.)
Islamic philosophy -- History
1. The Philosophy of Ibn Roshd, and his interpretation of Aristotle,
have had extremely little effect upon the Muslim world. Many of his
works, in the original, are lost, and we have them only in Hebrew and
Latin translations. He had no disciples or followers. In retired
corners no doubt many a free-thinker or Mystic might be met with, to
whose mind it looked sufficiently fantastic to toil earnestly with
philosophic questions of a theoretical kind; but Philosophy was not
permitted to influence general culture or the condition of affairs.
Before the victorious arms of the Christians the material civilization
as well as the intellectual culture of the Muslims retreated farther
and farther. Spain became like Africa, where the Berber was ruler. The
times were serious: the very existence of Islam in these regions was at
stake. Men made ready for fighting against the enemy, or even against
one another; and pious brethren everywhere formed unions for mystic
observances. In the Sufi orders of these people, a few philosophical
formulae at least were still preserved in safety. When, towards the
middle of the thirteenth century, the emperor Frederick II submitted a
number of philosophical questions to the Muslim scholars of Ceuta, the
Almohad Abdalwahid charged Ibn Sabin, founder of a Mystic order, to
reply to them. He did so, drawling forth in a pedantic tone the views
both of ancient and recent philosophers, and affording a glimpse of the
Sufi secret,—that God is the reality of all things. The only thing,
however, which we can learn from his answers, may be said to be, that
Ibn Sabin had read books, of which he thought the Emperor Frederick had
not the faintest notion.
2. In small State-systems, the Muslim civilization of the West drifted
away, now rising, now falling. But before it vanished completely, a man
appeared, who endeavoured to discover the law of its formation, and who
thought to found therewith a new philosophical discipline,—the
Philosophy of Society or of History. That remarkable man was Ibn
Khaldûn, born at Tunis is the year 1332, of a family belonging to
Seville. There he also received his upbringing, and there he was next
instructed in philosophy, partly by a teacher who had been trained in
the East. After studying all known sciences, he occupied himself
sometimes in the service of the Government, and sometimes in travel,
proving everywhere an excellent observer. He served various princes in
the capacity of secretary, and he was ambassador at several courts in
Spain and Africa: as such he visited the Christian court of Peter the
Cruel in Seville. He was also at the court of Tamerlane in Damascus. He
had thus acquired a wide and full experience of the world, when he died
at Cairo in the year 1406.
In character perhaps he does not take a high rank; but a measure of
vanity, dilettantism and the like, may readily be forgiven to the man
who, above all others in his time, lived for Science.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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