Islamic Philosophy by Leaman, Oliver -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Contents Preface to the Second Edition Author’s Note and Abbreviations Glossary 1. A Short History of Islamic Philosophy

The growth of Islam Neoplatonism Major thinkers

2. Main Controversies

What is Islamic philosophy? Early reactions to Greek philosophy in Islamic culture: the Great Debate Al-Ghazali and philosophy: the question of creation The nature of time Mulla Sadra on change Iqbal on time Ibn Rushd on time What can God do? Miracles and meaning The afterlife What can God know? Philosophical accounts of religious concepts How free is God? Essence, existence and miracles The meaning of words Meaning and unity bi-la kayfa Ibn Taymiyya on talking about God

3. Knowledge

The notion of Islamic science Science and rationality The nature of knowledge What is knowledge for? Imagination Ibn Sina on knowledge and the ‘oriental’ philosophy Sufism, knowledge and imagination Knowledge by presence

4. Mysticism

Mysticism as a system Being Mysticism as a science The perfect man The deepening of prayer Criticisms of Sufism

5. Ontology

Being and existence in Islamic philosophy Ibn Rushd vs Ibn Sina on existence Mulla Sadra vs al-Suhrawardi on existence The equivocality of being Mulla Sadra and mysticism The imaginal realm Different routes to one truth and the role of imagination Allegory and meaning: the imaginal realm again Prophecy and its psychological basis Is being really the first question in metaphysics?

6. Ethics

Theological background: Mu tazilites vs Ash arites Ethics and divine power Al-Ghazali’s attack on objectivism in ethics Trusting authority The need for guidance

7. Politics

Plato vs Aristotle The diversity of human beings Islamic accounts of history The notion of the ‘medieval’ Liberalism vs Islam The case of jihad Modern political consequences

8. The Question of Transmission

Philosophy and religion The notion of cultural contact The Andalusi connection Getting back to basics Falsafa and hikma: philosophy and wisdom The concept of religious reason The concept of inclusive reason Robinson Crusoe and Hayy ibn Yaqzan

9. Language

The case of Ibn Rushd Ibn Rushd on meaning Ibn Rushd and elitism The Enlightenment Project Ibn Rushd as a critic of mysticism The implications for language

10. Islamic Philosophy Today

The West as decadent Confronting tradition Islamic exceptionalism Did al-Ghazali destroy Islamic philosophy?

11. Does Islam Need an Enlightenment?

Jewish and Muslim reactions to modernity Moses Mendelssohn and Muhammad Abduh Islamic exceptionalism again The Enlightenment and theology Christianity as the symbol of modernity The need for an Enlightenment The lack of radicalism in Islamic Qur’an commentary

References and Bibliography Guide to Further Reading Index