Al-Farabi

  • Patricia Lamb

Abu Nasr al-Farabi is considered the founder of philosophy in the Islamic society. He is also known as the creator of the Arab Neo-Platonism as he had been the first person in the history of those philosophical movements since Proclus. The Arabs called al-Farabi the Second Master as the first one was Aristotle. Despite the fact that some later philosophers such as Ibn Sina sometimes overshadowed his name, al-Farabi was one of the greatest philosophers in the whole world of all times and much more innovative than some of his Islamic successors were. The philosopher left no autobiography. As a result, relatively little information about his life is known. Abu Nasr al-Farabi was not only a philosopher but also a musician, logician, and political scientist. His education and work helped him to achieve success in metaphysics, epistemology, and political philosophy. Al-Farabi assumed that religion focused on both the theoretical and practical philosophies.There is no doubt that his works had a big influence on the European Renaissance as they were a connecting bridge between the Eastern and Western philosophies, science, and cultures. One may classify al-Farabi as a Neoplatonist as he tried to get together Aristotelianism and Platonism with the theological studies. He wrote numerous commentaries on Aristotle's and Platos works on meteorology, physics, and logic. According to the findings of the study, one should investigate the philosopher's background, education, and work in order to understand and assess his achievements in metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, and religion, as well as estimate his influence. Biography Unfortunately, little reliable information about Al-Farabi's life is available to the public. All sources that describe the life of the philosopher date back to more than three centuries after his death. According to the available information, Abu Nasir al-Farabi was born in the city of Farab in 870. Today, the place is known as Otrar. The full name of the philosopher includes the word turki. It means that al-Farabi belonged by birth to one of the Turks' privileged society layers. His parents originally came from Persia, and his ancestors lived in Turkistan. A prominent thinker of the East was a son of a general. In the ninth and tenth centuries, his birth city was the major cultural, political, and commercial center of the country. Moreover, it was a place that linked the caravan tracks of Medieval Europe and Asia. In the city, the logician lived until he was twenty years old. During this time, he had a chance to learn scientific and philosophical works in one of the largest libraries of the time. The library in Otrar was considered the second largest library after the one located in Alexandria. It had a lot of handwritings and books. Al-Farabi was a highly educated person. The Second Master received his early education in Farab and Bukhara, where he also worked. Later, he continued his studies in Baghdad, where the scientist had worked and studied for a long time, mainly from 901 A.D. to 942 A.D. At that period, Baghdad was a political and cultural center of the Arab Muslim Caliphate. The philosopher also studied in Egypt and Damascus. As a young man, he worked as a judge. However, later, he became a teacher. During this time, al-Farabi learned several languages and studied different branches of science and technology. This knowledge helped him develop skills in numerous spheres of learning. The logician lived during the reign of six Abbasid Caliphs. He travelled to distant countries; however, he always returned to Baghdad. In this city, he got acquainted with the leading logician of that time, including Abu Bishr Matta and Yuhanna Ibn Haylan. However, the most memorable event in al-Farabi's life was his friendship with Sayf al-Dawla, who was the founder and ruler of Aleppo, as well as a great favorer of art and letters. Sayf al-Dawlah appreciated the scientist for his moderate character and ascetic behavior, which distinguished him in numerous ways. As a result, the philosopher became one of the companions of the king. These relationships with the ruler of the city of Halab helped him to become famous and gain recognition not only in the region but also outside it. In Europe, al-Farabi was known as al-Phrarabius; the philosopher spent the last years of his life in Aleppo, Cairo, and Damascus, where he enjoyed a lot of appreciation. In Damascus, in December 950, al-Farabi died at the age of eighty years. Overall, Abu Al-Nasr al-Farabi was one of the greatest of Islamic philosophers and scientists of all times. Despite the fact that his name is sometimes overshadowed by Ibn Sina, the Muslim philosopher, al-Farabi won the worldwide recognition. However, Abu Al-Nasr al-Farabi left no autobiography. As a result, people do not know much about him. There are numerous myths about the man. For instance, it is difficult to believe that he could speak more than seventy languages. Nevertheless, during his life and after the death, al-Farabi won recognition as a famous scientist, philosopher, and logician. If the article was cognitive for you, proceed to read other articles on https://top-papers.com/. Most of the articles are written by Patricia Lambert, a professional writer.