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SSRN Id3480437
SSRN Id3480437
and Farabi
Abstract
Paradise is without history. No paradise is compatible with history, but despite
this fact, the desire for paradise is the longest man's wish. Perhaps a more
powerful metaphor than the lost paradise doesn't clearly reveal this old dream.
Political philosophy shows this unfertilized passion whether in its first attempts
or in its most recent struggles. From the Plato's to Farabi's era, this search for
the lost paradise of land or a desirable and ideal society continued. Both
philosophers have followed the utopia. Both were looking for one thing: justice.
None of them, except in their dreams, were able to create their utopia on land.
The land has resisted against temptation to live in Paradise. The basic
hypothesis of this article is that both thinkers, Plato and Farabi, for the creation
of an equal society, have reached inequality. Both in their society have created a
structure that is fair according to their view. But in describing its embodied
justice, inequality has been interfered. Our fundamental question in this essay is
what justice is. And the answer of both to this question i.e. question from the
nature of justice is different. In answering to question of what is justice? Plato
invents the myths of gold, iron, and brass natures, and Farabi, by relying on his
knowledge of duties, considers the head of Madineh as embodiment of his
active intellect, and relates the value of his Madine to him. The method used in
this research is analytical-descriptive.
Keywords: utopia, politics, justice, active intellect, Metaphysics
Man has always had the wish to return to Paradise, where they are fairly
rewarded for goodness. The utopia is the landed image of this ideal and wish.
But since each human and society is different from other human and society, the
perception of each of them differs from one another. But the concept of justice
is the common value of all of them. All utopias' creators consider their desirable
society to be fair, but what is justice? The answers to each question are
different. An attempt to build a land paradise has often failed. So why is
humanity still struggling to create such an impossible society? It must be said
that the goal of the utopias' creator is ethical rather than the requirement to
create it on earth. They are struggling to highlight bad by visualizing good. The
age of the utopia creation is far away. For example, in the "Sumerian Epic of
Gilgamesh" of the second millennium BC, we find a description of a kind of
land paradise: "There, there was no sound of crow, the bird of death didn't
scream about death, the lion did not drown, the pigeon didn't whine, neither was
the widow, nor disease, neither an old creature nor crying." Among the many
works written, some are created with a religious approach and some secular, and
some with a purely literary view, in the form of novels and stories, and others
with rationality and philosophical and scientific processes. Idea and idealism are
concepts that are specially raised in various fields such as politics, society,
culture and metaphysics. But what is discussed here is a function that these
concepts have in combination with words like city or Madineh. The symmetry
of these two concepts in terms such as the utopia or the urbanization ideal
creates a capacity that contains all the above domains. The inclusion of this
wide area is due to a specific function that the concept of "city" gives to the
word "ideal". Because the word (city) brings a population into mind, gathered
together in a single culture under a single law and system in a given place.
If Plato was the first philosopher that gave a systematic and relevant system of
political reasoning to the world, Farabi could be considered the founder of
political thinking with a firm structure of philosophical consistent principles and
foundations in the Islamic world 1. He is the first Muslim scholar who, on the
basis of the theoretical principles and foundations, presented his civil
philosophy with compatible and relevant components to the world of wisdom
and view. Farabi, according to most Muslim scholars, is the founder of political
philosophy. 2 His political philosophy can be found in books such as "Ara Ahle
Al-Madineh al-Fazele" and the book "Tahsil Al-Saade" and the book "Al-Siyase
al-Madineh".3 In these books, he embodied his imagination from Islamic utopia.
4. Nazarzadeh, p118
5. Mahmoudi, Noureddin (2012). Farabi's utopia; the desirable society from the
point of view of Farabi and the place of education in it. The growth of social
science education. No. 55. P17
That is why Farabi likens the policy, the art of managing Utopia, to medicine.
He considers politics as "service and guidance, "politician in his view is as
"medicine."1 Both the body and the soul have health and disease, "Al-Tabib al-
Zi Yaalej Al-Abdan ... and Al-Molk Al-Zi Yaalej Al-Anfos"2 " The physician is
someone who treats the bodies and the property is someone who treats the
population. Analogy of policy to medicine is the keys of Farabi's political
thought and determining the type of relationship between the head and the
In contrast to this view, Plato considers politics as a special skill and knowledge
that differs significantly from other education and specializations. To define this
knowledge, Plato uses allegory. He likens the politician to a sailor that should
carry the ship passengers to the destination. " In the conversation of the
politician ... Plato first considers what the politician is not. Finally, he likens the
politician to a "weaver", whose work is "royal textile" of the sections and
sections of the city and the linkage of various classes, to create a fixed, uniform,
and consistent texture as a full civil society ... Elsewhere, Plato considers
politics the art of raising human beings and the administration of their affairs,
and says: "The political man is busy with grazing a flock of beasts without
4
horn." But what constitutes the two wise people in the common area is the
concept of "justice".
4.1 Justice
In Plato's view, justice is a sensual state and human's issue with itself. Justice is
considered an epistemic subject and an interpreter of a state of internal human
harmony.5 Because in the Greeks' heritage, where Plato also grew in its place,
the creation and development of the city was natural. Madineh received its
importance from the connection to the human being and the survival of the kind
of human, because human existence was dependent on Madineh. Plato, from the
founding of the utopia, considered the realization of true justice for the ultimate
goal (complete bliss), and defined the complete bliss of man in the knowledge
of the world of ideas or "forms."6 Apart from general ethics and goodness, he
1.Farabi, Abu Nasr Muhammad (1985). Ahsa AlOlum, Hussein Khadiv Jam.
Tehran. Scientific and cultural publications, p109
3. Nazarzadeh, p 84
4. Nazaezadeh. P73-74
5.ibide, p 311
In the power metaphysics that he, by relying on it, tried to make harmony,
human beings are not equal. He creates a myth to transform his ideal society
into three classes or unchangeable cassettes through the educational systems.
Justice does not mean equality in his view, but in the sense of harmony. Plato
tells the citizens of his ideal society that all of you who are in this country are
brothers, but on the day that God created you, the existence of those who were
supposed to take the control of affairs in the future with gold of nature
therefore, they are more expensive than the others, their assistant with silver and
other farmers with iron and brass. Because you are all from the same race, most
of the children who come to the world from your back will be like you ... the
country where the control of its guardianship is in iron and brass is condemned
to decline, and these three types of nature are in line with three components of
human spirit and the three social classes; craftsmen are like brass-nature and
corresponding to the abdomen and lust. Also, the guards are the silver-nature,
and they are in line with the chest and courage, and the rulers are the gold-
nature and corresponding to the knowledge.3
2. Kalbasi Ashtari, Hossein and Hajizadeh, Parviz (2014). The Place of Justice
in Plato's Utopia and Farabi's utopia. Tehran. history of philosophy. Summer
2014. Number 17.p125
... In his view, the three virtues of wisdom, courage and chastity assign to a
particular group: the wisdom is special to the rulers, courage is special for the
helpers and the armies and, continence and chastity are related to the mass of
people. But justice is a virtue which each of these three groups engages only in
their own work, and equally anyone does the work that is created for it and he
has its talent and does not interfere in another.1 In the explanation of his theory,
he says: the purpose of saying that everyone should do their own actions is not
apparent actions, but the spiritual and internal activity of everyone; An activity
that relates to himself and his affairs. The righteous man is such a person that he
does not allow a part or the components of his soul to interfere with another
part, or all components interfere in the work of each other, but also on the idea
that every part does a work that is truly its duty. In this way, he should be
predominant on himself, and he establishes a beautiful order in himself, to be
friend with himself, and to harmonize the three parts of his soul ... and thereby
liberate his inner from plurality and distress and to be a united individual in true
meaning, not a few persons; I.e, self-discipline and co-ordinate with himself ...
and in all circumstances, he only considers an action fair and beautiful that does
Like its predecessor, Farabi does not consider justice in the meaning of equality
of citizens, and although cosmology is affected by new platonic philosophy, the
influential part in the design of utopia is the "theory of grace", which is
originated from Plotinus.3 However, in building its ideal society and in drawing
its desirable society, it has largely been benefited from Plato's theory and added
to it the theory of Imamate and the concepts of goodness and perfection and
happiness. It should be noted that in the description of the leader of utopia and
the first head of favorable society and describing his characteristics, he is
influenced by the teaching of Imamate.4 But the common promise about Farabi
is that the foundation of his political philosophy, pattern of utopia and its ruling
philosopher, Madineh classes, and its ultimate goals is a new perception of the
same concepts from Platonic concepts that according to the culture of Muslims
is made.5 However, in Farabi's political thought, such as Plato, justice is a key
concept, and is raised in much more diverse and broader content than Plato.
3.Nazerzadeh, 81
4.ibide, p 90
5. ibide, p 93
Plato should first determine the nature of a good state based on its own
experiences. His experience as well as his perception indicated that a good state
is moral naturally and its ultimate goal is the establishment of ethical virtues
and its expansion in the population of citizens. Thus, in the context of the theory
of its ideal city, he designed a comprehensive ethical committee with elements
defined. What should be in this body was the virtue of" justice".1
If we can count the most important features of the Platonic city, we can mention
three concepts of "general good," "justice," and "virtuous aristocratie." The
expansion of all three concepts in Polithea's theory was rooted in the historical
events of his time. These events can be summed up in three phenomena of
Sufism, Oligarchy and Democracy. In Plato's view, the three phenomena of his
age caused the disruption in the intrinsic cohesion and facilitation of the
external defeat of Athens.
1.ibide, p 98
2.ibide, p99
« و هو الرئیس االول للمدینة الفاضلة و هو رئیس االمة الفاضلة و رئیس المعمورة من االرض:
.»کلها4
However, it can be said that for all three philosophers, politics in Madineh is
"the nobility" and the servant of all the industries and the point of attraction in
which other industries in the city are gathered on its axis. Farabi says:
It is not possible that any industry patronizes on politics, and all other industries
are servant in the city. "Plato also considers politics the "loyal art" that governs
other arts and crafts instead of turning to a particular task:
1.ibide, 81-82
3.Nazerzadeh, p 118
4. Farabi, Abu Nasr Muhammad (1959). Origins of the people of utopia. Al-
Bir Nasri Nader. Beirut. Al-matbaa Al-kasulikye, p105
"An art that governs all the arts, establishes laws, and integrates all the affairs of
the state in a systematic manner and integrates together ... Should not we call it
the right art of politics?" Farabi does not consider politics the highest industry in
that the subject is civil society itself; but its superiority among the other
industries is that it is the task of Madine's chairman and subject of his
employment. The work of the head of Madineh is supreme and accomplisher of
madineh's work. He is not the servant of any human being due to his perfection.
Therefore, his career must also be the best and most complete of all the careers
and goal of the people of Madineh.1 It should be considered that the close
relationship between metaphysics and politics in Farabi's thought further
manifests his organic (organic) theory on humanity and his relationship with
God, the world and his associates, as present in the Muslim belief system.
"When you reach the degree of perfection, the intellect and reasonableness are
actualized and he is in the most complete degree of humanity."
If for Plato, politic is a particular knowledge, he means that many people are not
able to acquire this knowledge and skills in political affairs and thus do not have
the right to interfere in political affairs. For Farabi, politic is a special
knowledge that establishes a special relationship between the human world and
the world of abstractions. Political knowledge in his view, is a mission from the
God, to a man in the most complete degree of humanity, for guidance and
(medicine of the soul) of other human beings, and this is because of a particular
knowledge. Farabi believes that science of politics is the science of recognizing
the behaviors and issues that humans do, not naturally, but on the will. Also,
this science is recognition of the origin and purpose of these behaviors and
practices. Describing and prescribing good moral for true happiness is one of
1.ibide, p82-83
4. Farabi, Abu Nasr Muhammad (1985). Ahsa AlOlum, Hussein Khadiv Jam.
Tehran. Scientific and cultural publications, p106-107
Of course, mentioning this issue does not reduce the importance of the issue of
justice with Farabi. In agreement with Plato and Aristotle, he believed that no
political order would be durable unless it was based on the attributes of virtue
and perfection - to which he refers to virtues - and to justice. Farabi states that
justice is the supreme virtue in which man tries to ferment them, and it is the
basis upon which political order is based on it. From the perspective of Farabi,
the social and political system is categorically, based on capacity, merit and
dignity.
1.Nazerzadeh,p118
2.Al-Ara, Beirut, p 97
The head of Farabi's utopia is the first creature and causes acquiring Madineh
and its components, and it is like a compass draws the circle of existence in
Madineh, and Madineh;s parts revolve around it and get their identity from it.
Plato considers the realization of the perfection of his ideal city is subject to the
rule of philosophers: "No city, nor any constitution, nor any person will be
perfected, unless an incident will force these few pure philosophers to take over
the rule of the city." "The ratio of the leader of Madineh to its component is like
the relation of the first cause to other beings on the one hand, and the ratio of
the relationship of heart to other organs, on the other. The assumption of the
existence of the relationship between universe and of human nature and the civil
society is from the classical Greek tradition that reached Farabi... The
adaptation of the system of creation to the soul and the human body, both of
them both with the social system, made the philosophical system of Farabi
compatible and validate Farabi's belief in the divine law that has been flowing
from heaven to earth. It seems that man is an intermediary circle in which the
heavenly laws are linked to civil society and the political system, and the
metaphysic of human community is linked to the human nature.1
In the metaphysic of Farabi, from the essence of the first cause, the essence of
all creatures is benefit as the being and the order they deserve. 2 In the system of
classification and the hierarchical order of existence, Farabi recognizes six
sources on six ranks: "first cause" (duty of existence), "second cause" (10
1.Nazerzadeh, p 218
2.Votes of Beirut, p 40
4.Nazerzadeh, p 16
Head of Madineh
In Farabi's ideal society, head is a person who nobody rules on him in the
Madineh system. He is the Imam and the first head of utopia and also the head
of the Ummah and all the land. This position cannot be gained by anyone unless
there are twelve natural traits within him. First, he must be healthy... secondly,
he must be wise... his memory must be strong enough to preserve what he
understands and what he sees and what he listens and what he understands and
briefly do not forget them ... to be clever and sharp-witted ... be well spoken...
be knowledgeable ... not to be greedy on pleasures ... to hate lies ... to love
dignity ... money and world to be worthless for him.. he must naturally like
justice... to be just...to be single-minded2
According to Farabi, not only the centrality of Madineh is with the head of
Madineh, but it is the head of Madineh that for being wise and, on the other
hand, because of the originality of science and knowledge is superior to
Madineh, and ultimately proves that it is undoubtedly the head of society, that
by the active intellect can rid the people of the city from evil and pestilence and
lead them to their deserving prosperity. Farabi considers the condition of
Farabi's ideal society, like Plato's ideal society, is the embodied form of his
metaphysic. In this world, justice has been sacrificed for its fundamental value.
In fact, equality goes away in favor of balance and coordination. Both wise
persons believe that human beings are not essentially equal and, in the
visualization of their heavenly cities, consider inequality as just. To achieve a
complete society, they eliminate dynamics and historicity from their desirable
society. In fact, both utopias don't have history. Their communities are
immobile, and hence the human beings inside it are also ghost-like in
consequence of dominant norms of the society. The utopia of both wise men is
only possible by the elimination of history, i.e, the removal of a large part of
man.
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