The Trajectory of Thought through Khwārizmī, Ibn al-Haitham, Fārābī, and Suhrawardī

Document Type : Scholary

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Islamic Theology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

A great deal of scientists and philosophers made the history of humanity heavily indebted, blossoming out during the Islamic Golden Age. Tracing the development of Muslim civilization, we can observe distinct thinking methods which have improved different facets of society. Contributing to the promotion of civilization, mathematics and its various apparatus cannot be neglected. Khwārizmī is the most critical figure in mathematics as the bedrock of empirical method. Ibn al-Haitham is reckoned as the leading figure of that era in the scientific method on which all sciences and technologies are based. Fārābī as a profound philosopher focused on imagination and art for distributing wisdom and reason among public. In his utopia, artists have this task and they are called the conveyors of religion. Suhrawardī concentrated on intuition besides wisdom and reason. In addition, Suhrawardī typified the artist of Fārābī’s virtuous city. In Suhrawardī’s mystical treatises, he allegorized intelligible happiness. Each method would contribute to human civilization—that is, a set of thinking methods is required for surviving and developing civilization. However, dramatically important in today’s world is that the balance ought to be maintained.

Keywords

References

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Classical and Contemporary Islamic Studies (formerly known as Journal of Contemporary Islamic Studies)
Volume 1, Issue 2
July 2019
Pages 245-260

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