Averroes : New

 

 

 

Description :

 

In this treatise Ibn Rushd (Averroes) sets out to show that the Scriptural Law (shar') of Islam does not altogether prohibit the study of philosophy by Muslims, but, on the contrary, makes it a duty for a certain class of people, those with the capacity for "demonstrative" or scientific reasoning.


Apparent conflicts between the teachings of Scripture and philosophy can be reconciled by allegorical interpretations of Scripture, though such interpretations should not be taught to the common people.


Ibn Rushd's contribution to what was clearly a lively debate in Almovarid Andalusia is here accompanied by extracts from two other relevant works, his Damima and Kitab al-Kashf 'an Manahij al-Adilla, and all are covered by a full intorduction and notes.

 

 

 

 

Ibn Rushd, Arabic (ابن رشد), known as Averroes 510-595 AH (1126 – 1198H), was an Andalusian-Arab philosopher and physician, a scholar of philosophy and Islamic law, mathematics, and medicine. He was born in Cordoba, Spain, and died in Marrakech, Morocco. His school of philosophy is known as Averroism.


Ibn Rushd, came from a family of jurists trained himself in law and medicine and later served as Qadi (judge) in Seville and Cordoba. In 1182 he was appointed physician to the court of caliph Abu Ya`qub Yusuf in Marrakesh and to his son, Abu Yusuf Ya`qub, in 1195 but was recalled shortly before his death. In the field of medicine Averroës produced his Kulliyat fi al tib (General Medicine) between 1162 and 1169. He is however better known for his great commentaries on Aristotle.


Al-Dhahabi in Siyar A`lam al-`Ulama' (15:452) quotes al-Abbar as saying: 'No one of his scholarly perfection, his erudition, or his high manners was ever raised in Andalus.'

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents :

 

---Convenstions,
 

---Introduction,

------The background in Islamic philosophy,

------The background in western Islam,
------The problem of the book,

------The general solution,

------Allegorical interpretation of scripture,

------Ijma' and the freedom of philosophy

------Restrictions on explaining allegories,

------General questions,

------The fate of the work,

------The present translation.

 

The Decisive Treatise : Kitab fasl al-maqal,
 

---Chapter [1]. The law makes philosophic studies obligatory,
 

---Chapter [2]. Philosophy contains nothing opposed to Islam,
 

---Chapter [3]. Philosophical interpretations of scripture should not be taught to the majority, the law provides other methods of instructing them

 

Apprndix :
---Damima,

---Extract from Kitab al-Kashf 'an Manahij al-Adilla,

 

---Notes to the Translation,

---List of abbreviations and editions used,

---Index.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Dimensions : 21 x 13.8cm.