Muslim Philosophy Before and After Ghazali

By Mushtaq ul Haq Ahmad Sikandar, New Age Islam 4 April 2023 “Islamic Philosophy Is Needed To Offer Alternatives And Solutions To Both The Civilizational And Global Level Crises And The Role Of Philosophy Is Very Essential To Save Human Civilization And Planet.” ----- The contemporary era in which we are existing, has engaged and engulfed humans in futile pursuits. With the advent of social media, artificial intelligence, quick messaging apps and OTT platforms, humans have lost the power of focus, concentration and strength to pursuit ideals. New priorities have retrograded human existence towards absurdity. Philosophy as a discipline is on decline, a trend that is being witnessed globally. Most universities particularly in India, never thought it appropriate to start philosophy departments. In the context of Muslim societies, many scholars are antagonistic towards philosophy and decry it as anti religion. This anti philosophy tirade has been a norm in most muslim societies and nations. However this was not the dominant trend during the zenith of muslims. This is what the present work titled, Muslim Philosophy: Before & After Al Ghazzali written by versatile, seasoned and prolific writer Dr Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi engages, explores and critically evaluates. Dr Rafiabadi is among the few writers of the contemporary age who writes on serious philosophic issues and themes in a comparative perspective. In his Preface of the book, Prof. Abdel Aziz Berghout, Dean International Institute of Islamic Thought & Civilization (ISTAC-IIUM) writes, “Islamic philosophy is needed to offer alternatives and solutions to both the civilizational and global level crises and the role of philosophy is very essential to save human civilization and planet.” Similarly Datuk Prof Osman Bakr, while Introducing this important work to the readers debunks the common prevalent narrative among Muslims, that holds Imam Ghazali responsible for the decline of philosophy among Muslims. He observes that Philosophy became spiritualized with Ghazali as he gave a new orientation to the Islamic philosophy. The book is systematically and meticulously organized, with each chapter delving into biographical, contextual details of the Muslim philosophers and then discussing their ideas, narratives on various aspects and critical evaluation of the same. So the reader is made aware about the encyclopaedic knowledge of Al Kindi, and his contribution to music, while his efforts to bring reconciliation between religion and philosophy. The development of Muslim philosophy cannot be understood without being aware about the influence of Greek philosophy. The Greek philosophy was translated into Arabic and other vernacular languages under the patronage of kings like Al Maamun, Harun Rashid and others who established Bait ul Hikmahs and encouraged the Translation movements among muslim scholars. So as a result, we witness Al Farabi introducing Greek philosophy in the Muslim world in a systematic manner. The intellectual discussion about the Ilm Kalam in early days of Islam is a scholarly manifestation of the fact about how the Greek, Latin and other texts were translated into Arabic, and in addition to the revival of these forgotten disciplines and knowledge of the Greeks to which Muslims contributed and added various new disciplines and fields which resulted in the formation of various sects like Batiniyyah, Mutazilites and Asharites among the Muslims. The inception of Greek Philosophy among Muslims gave birth to philosophers like Al Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd and the likes who tried to bring reconciliation among philosophy and religion and in this process compromised brutally on some Islamic fundamentals which ultimately challenged Imam Ghazali who refuted it all using the same dialectics and logical arguments. The scholarly chapters dealing with the philosophy, thought and way of life of these Muslim stalwart philosophers are unique contribution in itself but Dr Rafiabadi is aghast that: “Despite all these efforts on the part of stalwart Muslim philosophers, it is a pity that western writers do not candidly acknowledge the contribution of Muslims for rekindling the dormant academic and scientific spirit in those dark ages west was passing through and brought about a revolution”. Discussing Ghazali’s vehement contribution, influence and impact, Dr Rafiabadi dedicates many chapters to their exposition like, Ghazali and Ibn Rushd-Conflict and Concord. While reducing the gap between these two Philosophers; one who wrote Tahafatu-al-Falasifah (Incoherence of Philosophers) which was rebutted by Ibn Rushd's Tahafut –al- Tahafut (Incoherence of Incoherence), as they are generally considered antagonistic towards each other but Rafiabadi opines with proof, "The debate between Ghazali and Ibn Rushd constitutes the most profound encounter between Theology and Philosophy. Ghazali’s interest was religious and Ibn Rushd's was philosophical, but both worked in the philosophic medium and both upheld a unified outlook on philosophy and religion. For Ghazali there was no conflict between Faith and Knowledge except in details and in the perversity of the followers of each school. For Ibn Rushd philosophy was a means to strengthen faith and to deepen one's appreciation for Truth. As a matter of fact, Ghazali set the agenda for Ibn Rushd and hence books of both these thinkers are interlocked as the discussion goes on around the doctrines of philosophers." This is the strongest chapter of the book where the author sets the trend and scope for further research, debate, discussion and critique. Dr Rafiabadi exposes the myth which has been circulated by the Orientalists and reinforced by some Muslim intellectuals while aping them that Ghazali’s scintillating and vehement criticism was responsible for the decline of Philosophy, Science and Rationality among Muslims in a chapter entitled “Ghazali & Revival of Islamic Sciences.” Those who claim Ghazali was all up arms against Philosophy, Rafiabadi challenges them and says: “To start with Ghazali refuted the extremist trend of Greek philosophy which was influencing the whole Muslim society, Ghazali developed his own methods and traditions in philosophy. This method of Ghazali was moderate between the philosophical and theological extremism. Its other specific dimensions were scepticism and mysticism and a consistent and systematic approach towards reason, logic and theology”. Another unique contribution of Ghazali which gets side-lined but which does not escape Dr Rafiabadi’s critical eye is Ghazali’s unique contribution to Psychology, in which he even surpasses Freud and Adler in some respects. The association of Ghazzali with Sufism is a result of his deep understanding about human psychology. The contribution of Sufis in this field has not been seriously exposed or pondered about, and need is felt for the same as they could cure the spiritual malaise from which the mankind is still suffering and desperately in need of remedy. Regarding Ghazali one aspect escapes Dr Rafiabadi are his view about Politics. The practicability of Ghazali’s reforms came to fore when Mohammad Bin Abdulla Toomrath, his student founded the Mowahidin dynasty in Spain based on Ghazali’s theory about State Craft. It implemented all the ideas of Imam Ghazali. Thus even, in political theory Ghazali was successful not only in preaching an ideal state but also help create one as a model. Ghazali is to be credited for refuting the extremist trend of Greek philosophy which was influencing the whole Muslim society. Ghazali developed his own methods and traditions in philosophy. This method of Ghazali was moderate between the philosophical and theological extremism. From an exhaustive study and engagement with Ghazali the author explores the religious philosophy of another Mujaddid of Islam, Shah Waliullah of Delhi. Shah Waliullah’s important contribution lies in trying to rid Sufism from unIslamic innovations, while bringing it close to pristine sources of Islam and reconciling the Wahdatul Wajud and Shuhud trends in Sufism. He also translated Quran into Persian, that was a revolutionary step which no Sufi or Muslim philosopher had undertaken earlier. All the Sufis and Philosophers were engaging with the religious concepts, interpreting them in variegated manner, but they were more interested with rebutting, reinterpreting, reconciling Islamic tenants with fundamentals of Greek philosophy, at the cost of teachings of Islam. Shah Waliullah can be credited as the first religious and Sufi philosopher who started the trend of translating Quran in South Asia, so that its teachings can be deciphered by the common masses. In his previous works Prof Rafiabadi has described his own discovery and criticism of philosophy in these words, “Previously I was fascinated by the great contributions of Muslim philosophers like Ibn Sina, Al Farabi, Ibn Rushd and even Al Ghazali and I was more interested in Ghazali as a philosopher rather than as a theologian or mystic. But after delving deep into the realms of Greek, Muslim and Western Philosophies and realizing the inherent inconsistencies, shortcomings and contradictions of the philosophical speculation, I got convinced that Islam did not need support from Philosophy or science for that matter as it develops its own logic and rationality for upholding and espousing its doctrines. I could realize why the deep rooted Islamic Ulama like Ibn Taimiyah, Ibn Qaim, Ibn Salah and even Ghazali were opposing philosophical speculations tooth and nail when it comes to defending Islamic teachings.” Nevertheless , Rafiabadi doesn’t believe in displacing the intellect or rationality from religion because the Quran never displaces intellect(Aql). Revelation (Wahi) only purifies intellect (Aql) from Ghafala (desire). Intellect (Aql) thus becomes a reliable source of knowledge, opines Rafiabadi, what he intends to say is that the Hellenized or speculative reason is not a prerequisite to prove Islamic doctrines, but unadulterated pure reason has a commendable role instead. The book in the end explores the ideas of Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal about Prophethood as well as the critical evaluation of his lectures compiled as Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. He has undertaken a systematic literature review of the works published in Urdu about Reconstruction and it brings very different facets of Iqbal’s thought to the fore. A study of this work certainly emphasizes the essence of religion and how religious injunctions, message, fundamentals were understood in different aspects and perspectives by various philosophers in their ages. This type of thriving intellectual environment is absent in our contemporary democratic era. The Muslim societies have been rendered as the most intolerant ones, where the mullah threatens the intellectual, philosopher and independent scholar with hell and the politician with Jail. Not to talk of Muslim philosophers, scholars like Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and late Fazlur Rahman had to seek refuge in the West. If Ghazali and Ibn Rushd were present in our era they would have been declared apostates and any lynching mob would have killed them. The biggest shortcoming of this work is that it does not deal with our current narratives and contemporary philosophers. It neglects an important philosopher like Ibn Arabi, Ibn Khaldun, Malik Benabi, Said Nursi, Fathullah Gulen, Syed Naquib Al Attas and Chandra Muzaffar. Philosophy in Muslim world did not stop or came to an end with Iqbal only, that most South Asian Muslims have bestowed with pseudo prophetic stature. The relevance of his work is yet to be critically evaluated. The issues of Himalayan proportions that baffle Muslims like violence, ex Muslims, terrorism in the name of religion, dictatorships, monarchy, patriarchy, gender inequality, lack of freedom of speech, intolerance neo colonialism and crony capitalism are to be seriously addressed utilizing the hermeneutics and epistemology of a new evolving philosophy. To address these questions a new philosophy needs to be created and constructed. Also the referencing style used in the book is quite a mismatch with the academic standards associated with such a work. The grammatical and spelling mistakes too sour the taste of the work at numerous places. However the tome is essential and a must read for any serious student of Muslim Philosophy who needs to understand how Greek Philosophy contributed to growth of Philosophy among Muslims, how it was discovered and added to by Muslims and what characterized the intellectual debates with the spread of philosophy among Muslims. In this respect the book is complete, and can be calculated among the textbooks to understand Medieval and South Asian Muslim Philosophy. The book is an addition to the already scarce literature on Muslim philosophy and philosophers and a refreshing read. Dr Rafiabadi deserves all applauds congratulations for this new endeavour and hope he will bring to fore some new illuminating tomes in future as well. ------ Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander is a Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/muslim-philosophy-ghazali/d/129485 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism