Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy is a book by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Iranian philosopher and University Professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University. The book is a history and overview of Islamic philosophy covering its origins in the 9th century to the modern era.[2][3]

Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy
AuthorSeyyed Hossein Nasr
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesSUNY series in Islam[1]
SubjectIslamic philosophical tradition
Genre
PublisherState University of New York Press (SUNY Press)
Publication date
2006
Media type
  • Paperback
  • Hardcover
Pages390
ISBN978-0-7914-6800-5
OCLC61295941
181.07
LC ClassB741.N384 2006
Websitesunypress.edu

Overview edit

The book presents a narrative of the development of philosophy in the Islamic world, and its relationship with revelation and holy matter. The author intended to present Islamic philosophy in the form of teachings, and discuss its development in the context of the wider history of the Islamic world, in particular its relationship with Islamic revelation.[4][5]

The author focused on the later period of Islamic philosophy, especially in Iran. After the Mongol invasion, Iran became the most important arena for the continuation of Islamic thought. The author claims that during this time, Islamic philosophy became closer to the inner truths revealed through revelation. He also used this later period for comparative studies, comparing Islamic and Christian philosophical traditions and examining how they diverged and followed different destinies.[6][7][8]

The book is the result of about fifty years of the author's study and reflection of philosophy and philosophical issues.[9][10] In the introduction of the Persian translation of the book, the author Seyyed Hossein Nasr states that the book is an attempt to challenge the narratives of orientalists about Islamic thought, and he and Henry Corbin are among the researchers who have been trying to challenge the monologue of Western-minded orientalism.[11][12][4]

Synopsis edit

The book begins with the preface and transliteration sections, as well as the author's introduction. In the first part, the author presents a report on contemporary Western research on Islamic philosophy. It includes an explanation of the position of Islamic philosophy in the Islamic world, its relations with other domains and sciences, and the meaning of Islamic philosophy from the perspective of Muslim philosophers.[13][14]

In the second part the author discusses the existence of the underlying content and skeletonization of Islamic philosophy. In particular, metaphysics in Islamic philosophy is discussed, including Martin Heidegger's opinion that returning to being is the way to salvation. Western philosophy talks about the end of metaphysics, but the current of Islamic philosophy is the convergence between ontology and metaphysics, as proposed in the philosophy of Mulla Sadra, based on the theory of the "Primacy of Existence".[15][13][14]

The third part is the most detailed, presenting a framework for the study of Islamic philosophy through history, and dealing with Islamic philosophy from the beginning to the contemporary period.[13]

In the fourth part, the author deals with the current state of thought in the Islamic world, examines the many relations between Islam and modern thought, and examines the flow of philosophy in the realm of prophecy in the past and present.

Release and reception edit

The book was first published in English by the State University of New York's SUNY Press in the United States in 2006.[16][17] It was translated into Persian by Mehdi Najafi Afra, professor of Islamic studies at Islamic Azad University in Tehran, and published by Jami in 2015 with an updated edition in 2017.[18][19][12][20]

Academic reviews have been generally positive, commending its comprehensiveness and detail, particularly of Islamic philosophers and schools of thought that have remained obscure in Western discourse.[21] One review commented that the material seems to have been compiled from essays written for other occasions, resulting in repetition, and described it as "an uneven work, usually beautifully written, but neither simple and organized enough for students nor deep enough for scholars."[22] In 2007, the American Library Association recommended it for graduate level study in its Choice book review.[23]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "SUNY series in Islam". Albany: State University of New York Press. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Nasr, Seyyed Hossein (May 11, 2006). Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present Philosophy in the Land of ... – Seyyed Hossein Nasr – Google Books. State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791481554. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Islamic Philosophy from Its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy, by Seyyed Hossein Nasr – Globethics". Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "کتاب فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت سید حسین نصر – طاقچه" [The book Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy Seyyed Hossein Nasr – Taaghche] (in Persian). Archived from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  5. ^ "کتاب فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت اثر سیدحسین نصر – کتابچی" [The book Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy by Seyyed Hossein Nasr – Kitabchi] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  6. ^ "فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت – کتاب ترجمان" [Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy – Tarjomaan book] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  7. ^ جرجانی, شیما. "شایسته مطالعه به زبان فارسی" [Worthy of Study in Farsi language] (PDF). فصلنامه نقد کتاب: کلام، فلسفه و اخلاق (in Persian): ۲۵۰–۲۵۱. سال چهارم، شماره ۱۳-۱۴، بهار و تابستان ۱۳۹۶
  8. ^ "فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت – کتابخانه تخصصی تاریخ اسلام و ایران" [Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy – The specialized library on Islam and Iran] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  9. ^ "فلسفه و وحی: روزنامه اعتماد (۱۳۹۸/۰۱/۲۴) – مگیران" [Philosophy and Revelation: Etemad newspaper (13/04/2019) – Magiran] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "فلسفه و وحی: كتابخانه – روزنامه اعتماد" [Philosophy and Revelation: Library – Etemad newspaper] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  11. ^ "«فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت» اثر سید حسین نصر به چاپ دوم رسید – ایران آنلاین" ["Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy" by Seyyed Hossein Nasr reached the second edition – Iran Online] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "چاپ دوم «فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت؛ فلسفه اسلامی از آغاز تا امروز» – خبرگزاری مهر" [The second edition of "Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy" – Mehr news agency] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c "تاریخ فلسفه نبوی در ایران اسلامی – جامعه خبری تحلیلی الف" [History of Prophetic Philosophy in Islamic Iran – Alef Analytical News Society] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  14. ^ a b "ترجمان – فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت" [Tarjomaan – Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy] (in Persian). Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  15. ^ "The Principle of Primacy of "Existence" over "Quiddity" and Its Philosophical Results in the Ontological System of Mulla Sadra". Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  16. ^ "«فلسفه اسلامی از گذشته خود تا امروز» نوشته دكتر سيد حسين نصر منتشر شد – خبرگزاری بین‌المللی قرآن (ایکنا)" ["Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present" written by Dr. Seyed Hossein Nasr was published – International Quran News Agency (IQNA)] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  17. ^ "«فلسفه اسلامی در سرزمين نبوت؛ از آغاز تا كنون» منتشر خواهد شد – خبرگزاری بین‌المللی قرآن (ایکنا)" ["Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy" will be published – International Quran News Agency (IQNA)] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  18. ^ "کتاب تاریخ فلسفه اسلامی از آغاز تا امروز – گیسوم" [The book Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present – Gisoom] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  19. ^ "کتاب فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت فلسفه اسلامی از آغاز تا امروز – گیسوم" [The book Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present: Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy – Gisoom] (in Persian). Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  20. ^ دین پرست, منوچهر. "فلسفه در سرزمین نبوت (فلسفه اسلامی از دیروز تا امروز)" [Philosophy in the Land of Prophecy (Islamic Philosophy from its Origin to the Present)]. خردنامه (in Persian): ۸–۹. تهران، گروه مجلات همشهری، تیر ۱۳۸۷، شماره ۲۷
  21. ^ Gilliot, Claude (2010). "Bulletin critique: Islamic Philosophy from its Origins to the Present by Seyyed Hossein Nasr". Arabica. 57: 677–679. doi:10.1163/157005810X519143. JSTOR 25782637.
  22. ^ Walbridge, John (2011). "Review: Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islamic Philosophy from its Origins to the Present". Review of Middle East Studies. 45 (1): 124–126. doi:10.1017/S2151348100002184. JSTOR 23057133. S2CID 164572320.
  23. ^ Blackburn, S. P. (February 2007). "Nasr, Seyyed Hossein: Islamic Philosophy from its Origins to the Present". Choice: 1000.

External links edit