Philosophy for Theologians 4

The Aristotelian Tradition: from

Kalam to Scholastics
 Kalam
• Meaning: ‘conversation’: Kalam is a medieval Islamic
religious philosophy, having either distinctly
rationalistic (Mutasilites) or distinctly anti-rationalistic
character (Asharites). It develops from the 8th to 12th
century in the region of Islamicate (i.e. the region of
the strong influence of Islam). The followers of kalam
are mutakallimun (in Hebrew version: motekallemim)
and oppose themselves to falasifa, “the philosophers.”
While motekallemim use philosophy for the apologetic
purposes, where it is God’s glory which is the ultimate
goal of reasoning, the philosophers treat falsafa
(philosophy) as a practice for its own sake.
Medieval Islamicate
 The Aristotelian Heritage
• While the Western Christianity chooses Plato
as her ‘naturally Christian’ philosopher, the
Islamic Thought develops under the guidance
of Aristotle who remains relatively unknown in
the West (until the 12th /13th century when
he reaches Europe via the influence of kalam).
Alexandrian Library
• Early in the year A. D. 642, Alexandria
surrendered to Amrou, the Islamic general
leading the armies of Omar, Caliph of Baghdad.
Long one of the most important cities of the
ancient world and capital of Byzantine Egypt,
Alexandria surrendered only after a long siege
and attempts to rescue the city by the
Byzantines. On the orders of Omar, Caliph of
Baghdad, the entire collection of books (except
for the works of Aristotle) stored at the Library
of Alexandria were removed and used as fuel to
heat water for the city's public baths.
The Burning Down of the Alexandrian
Library
 Main Thinkers of Kalam

Avicenna (Ibn Sina): 980 –

1137, born in Buchara,
Averroes (Ibn Rushd): 1126 – 1198, Ouzbekistan
born in Cordoba, Spain
The Asharites

Al-Ghazali, Al-Ghazali and known

as Algazelus or Algazel. 1058 –
1111. Born in Persia. Sufi mystic
and the ‘renewer of faith.’
Madrasah: The School

The famous madrasah in Samarkanda, Ouzbekistan

• Mutasilites (“people of justice and unity”), active
under the Ummayad dynasty already in the second half
of the 8th century. Kalam keeps very strict formal order
of reasoning based on five principles:
•
• unity of God
• divine justice
• reward and punishment
• classification of human actions and behaviour
• enjoining good and preventing evil
Islamic Iconoclasm
Arabesque, not Image
99 Names of God