Ibn Khaldun and Auguste Comte: A Comparative Analysis of the Founding Figures of Sociology

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the contributions of Ibn Khaldun, a 14th-century Arab scholar, and Auguste Comte, a 19th-century French philosopher, to the development of sociology. While Auguste Comte is widely acknowledged in the Western tradition as the “father of sociology,” Ibn Khaldun’s seminal work, “Muqaddimah”, place the Preliminary work for a systematic approach to social and historical analysis several centuries before Comte. Ibn Khaldun’s pioneering ideas on social cohesion, economic foundations, and the cyclical nature of civilizations challenge the conventional Eurocentric narrative that places the origins of sociological thought exclusively within Western intellectual history. This paper examines the methodologies, theories, and socio-historical contexts that shaped the works of both thinkers. Ibn Khaldun’s empirical observations and his concept of “asabiyyah” (social cohesion) are compared with Comte’s positivist approach and his “Law of Three Stages,” which posits the evolution of human thought from theological to metaphysical to positive. Despite the differences in their approaches, both scholars were deeply engaged with the fundamental processes governing social life and the forces driving social change. This study argues for a broader recognition of Ibn Khaldun’s role in the evolution of sociological thought, positioning him not merely as a precursor but as a co-founder of sociology alongside Comte. By doing so, it contributes to a more inclusive understanding of the global intellectual traditions that have shaped the discipline of sociology.