The Political Aspects of Islamic Philosophy: Essays in Honor of Muhsin S. Mahdi

Abstract

This volume consists of nine essays on the political teaching of such Muslim philosophers as al-Kindi and al-Razi, as well as the more familiar al-Farabi, Avicenna, Ibn Bajjah, Ibn Tufayl, and Averroes. It makes a contribution to the study of Islamic philosophy, which has thus far emphasized the metaphysical and illuminationist doctrines of Islamic, and especially Iranian, philosophy. Muhsin Mahdi's exploration of how political questions are addressed by the philosophical tradition is perhaps his most important contribution to medieval Islamic studies. So it is fitting that this book, intended to honour him on his 65th birthday, focuses exclusively on his specialty, and that these original essays are written by scholars who completed their post-graduate training under his supervision. This book strives to bring to light the political teaching of philosophers, who are usually considered totally apolitical. Responding to a long-recognized need, and aiming to chart a revolutionary course for future scholarship, it should appeal to students and scholars as well as to general readers seeking clarity about what lies behind current Islamic politics. It should also be welcomed for its presentation of previously ignored material about particular thinkers and its analyses of key texts in Islamic philosophy.