One of the most learned and enigmatic scholars of medieval Islam, Mu廎仟mmad b. 尪Abd al-Kar蘋m al-Shahrastn蘋 (d. 548/1153) is best known for his comprehensive survey of religions, sects and schools of philosophy, the Kitb al-Milal wal-ni廎仟l, and as one of the leading exponents of Sunni theology in its Ashar蘋 tradition. A different and lesser-known aspect of al-Shahrastn蘋s religious thought is that some of his works reflect definite Shii and specifically Ismaili perspectives. One of these is the Kitb al-Mu廜ra尪 (Struggling with the Philosopher), which is published here in Arabic with an English translation for the first time.
In this work, al-Shahrastn蘋 gives a detailed critique of the metaphysics of the great Persian philosopher Avicenna (Ibn S蘋n). The greater part of his intellectual wrestling match (鳥喝廜r硃尪櫻) is devoted to refuting Avicennas interpretation of the Necessary Being (wjib al-wuj贖d) which, he argues, compromises the absolute transcendence of God. For al-Shahrastn蘋, God is beyond human comprehension and above all opposites such as existence and non-existence, unity and multiplicity, good and evil, or truth and falsehood. There is compelling evidence that this conception of God, which al-Shahrastn蘋 believed was derived from prophetic precepts, is closely associated with that of Ismailism.
That the Kitb al-Mu廜ra尪 was written by one of the most authoritative voices of Asharism, who was at the same time inclined to Ismaiili views, suggests the rich diversity and eclecticism that characterised intellectual discourse in medieval Islam. In his Introduction to the text, Wilferd Madelung commends al-Shahrastn蘋s treatise for its coherent and distinctive philosophical vision, informed by a broad spiritual perspective.
The Kitb al-Mu廜ra尪 is an important document of Islamic intellectual history, illustrating the reaction against Avicennism among Muslim theologians in the sixth/twelfth century. As such, it is essential reading and a reference text for students of Islamic studies and scholars interested in the medieval Islamic world.
Introduction: AlShahrastani, Isma尪ilism and Philosophy
Note on the Translation
Kitb al-Mu廜尪ara尪a (English Text)
The First Issue: On the Enumeration of the Subdivisions of Existence
The Second Issue: On the Existence of the Necessary of Existence
The Third Issue: On the Unity of the Necessary of Existence
The Fourth Issue: On the Knowledge of the Necessary of Existence and its Relationship with the Universal and Particular
The Fifth Issue: On the Incipience of the World
Bibliography
Index to the English Text
Kitb al-Mu廜ra尪a (Arabic Text)
Wilferd Madelung was for twenty years the Laudian Professor of Arabic at the University of Oxford and is at present affiliated with The Institute of Ismaili Studies as Senior Research Fellow. Among his publications are Religious Schools and Sects in Medieval Islam (1985), Religious Trends in Early Islamic Iran (1988), The Succession to Mu廎仟mmad: A Study of the Early Caliphate (1997) and, together with Paul E. Walker, An Ismaili Heresiography (1998) and The Advent of the FatimidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Ismaili caliphs in North Africa (from 909) and later in Egypt (9731171) More (2000).
Toby Mayer is a specialist in medieval Arabic thought and has recently completed his doctoral these on the metaphysics of Avicenna for the University of Oxford. As a Research Associate at The Institute of Ismaili Studies, he is currently preparing a critical edition and English translation of Mu廎仟mmad al-Shahrastn蘋s commentary on the 紮喝娶a紳Muslims believe that the Holy 紮喝娶a紳 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and Medina over a period of 23 years in the early 7th century CE. More, Maft蘋廎 al-asrr wa ma廜b蘋廎 al-abrr (The Unveiling of the Secrets).