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Al Farabi PowerPointToPdf
Al Farabi PowerPointToPdf
(870-950)
LIFE AND WORKS
o Abu Nasr Al-Farabi
o Born in AH 257/870 AD, at Turk – Al Wasij
o Studied in Baghdad.
o Proficient in Arabic language, spoke more than 70 languages.
o Expositor of Aristotle’s logic, called Al-Mu’al-lim Al-thani – second Aristotle.
o He synthesized Platoism, Aristotlism & Sufism.
o Became patron of Hamdanid Ruler – Sayf Al-Dawla in Alepo
o He was killed on road from Damascus to Ascalon 339Ah (Bachelor).
o Expert in philosophy, logic & music.
o Book: Kitab Al-Madina Al-Fadila (The virtuous city), derived from “Republic”.
o Risala fi’l Aql (Epistle on intellect)
o Kitab al Huruf (the book of letters)
o Kitab-ul-Akhlaq (commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomacheon Ethics)
o Summary of Plato’s Laws.
o A philosopher, logician & musician and a major political scientist.
METAPHYSICS
o Al-Farabi was founder of Arab Neo-Platonism
o He tried to demonstrate basic agreement between Aristotle & Plato on creation of
world, the survival of soul & reward, punishment in afterlife.
o Neo-Platonic element in “Doctrine of emanation” deployed in Farabi’s
“hierarchy of being.”
o At top of hierarchy is Divine Being called First being from this emanates Second
Being, first intellect, like God it is immaterial substance.
o A total of ten intellects emanate from First being.
o First Intellect comprehends God.
o Tenth intellect constitutes bridge between heavenly & terrestrial worlds.
o Tenth intellect is active intellect, responsible for actualizing potentiality for
thought in man’s intellect.
o Al-Farabi said that at top of hierarchy is Deity.
o Philosopher god, not act directly but much is delegated to active intellect.
o Farabi is founder of Arab Neo-Platonism.
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY IN
(MADINA-AL-FADILA) A PLATONIC THEME
o Madina Al-Fadila:
Description of first cause and emanation of the second form
the first in Madina-Al-Fadila.
His idea of Ruler is akin to Plato’s classical Philosopher king.
He gives political division of world that there are three types
of societies. He graded these as per their size.
o IDEAL VIRTUOS City,
• where pursuit of goodness, happiness &
virtue. <Madina Al-Fadila>.
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY IN
(MADINA-AL-FADILA) A PLATONIC THEME
o Characteristic of Rais/Rulers
Sound health
Intelligent & receptive minded
Courage & devotion for justice & no greed.
Devotion for Education, learning & knowledge.
Orator & strong arguments
Virtuous & truthfulness.
Where no virtuous Regime, there be four types of Regimes. Resultantly:
Chaos, unrest, unhappiness, competition for Authority.
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY IN
(MADINA-AL-FADILA) A PLATONIC THEME
o Idea of man
Man’s power can be analyzed into power of reason, power
of thinking, power of feeling, power of contention.
Power of reason teaches to distinguish what is good or evil.
CONCLUSION
Neo-Platonism