Course Description
This advanced course offers a comprehensive survey of the Islamic philosophical tradition, tracing the development of Islamic thought from its earliest systematic formulations in the 9th century through to the transcendent wisdom (al-ḥikma al-mutaʿāliya) of Mulla Sadra in the 17th century. Students will engage with primary philosophical texts, original arguments, and the intellectual contexts that shaped one of humanity's greatest intellectual traditions.
Islamic philosophy is not merely a historical subject — it is a living tradition that addresses the deepest questions of existence, consciousness, God, the soul, and the nature of reality. Under the guidance of Dr Safavi, whose doctoral research at SOAS focused on Islamic philosophy and mysticism, students will develop the analytical and interpretive skills to engage with these texts at the highest level.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the historical development of Islamic philosophy and its living relevance today
- Engage critically with the primary texts of the major Islamic philosophers
- Analyse the relationship between reason (ʿaql), revelation (waḥy), and mystical insight (kashf) in Islamic thought
- Understand the concept of al-ḥikma al-mutaʿāliya (Transcendent Wisdom) and its significance
- Apply Islamic philosophical frameworks to contemporary questions of existence, ethics, and consciousness
- Develop the capacity to read and interpret classical Arabic philosophical texts
Course Syllabus
Unit 1 — The Foundations of Islamic Philosophy
- Al-Farabi (c. 872–950): The Second Teacher; political philosophy; the intellect and the Active Intellect; The Opinions of the Inhabitants of the Virtuous City
- Ibn Sina / Avicenna (980–1037): The Floating Man argument; essence and existence; the Necessary Being; The Book of Healing and The Book of Salvation
Unit 2 — Critique, Mysticism, and Illumination
- Al-Ghazali (1058–1111): The Incoherence of the Philosophers; the limits of reason; the turn to mysticism; The Revival of the Religious Sciences
- Suhrawardi (1154–1191): The Philosophy of Illumination (Ḥikmat al-Ishrāq); light metaphysics; the mystical dimension of philosophical knowledge
Unit 3 — The School of Isfahan and Transcendent Wisdom
- Ibn Arabi (1165–1240): The Unity of Being (waḥdat al-wujūd); the Perfect Man (al-insān al-kāmil); the Fuṣūṣ al-Ḥikam
- Mir Damad (c. 1560–1631): The School of Isfahan; the concept of ḥudūth dahrī (perpetual origination); the synthesis of philosophy and mysticism
- Mulla Sadra (1571–1640): Al-Ḥikma al-Mutaʿāliya (Transcendent Wisdom); the primacy of existence (aṣālat al-wujūd); substantial motion (al-ḥaraka al-jawhariyya); the Asfār al-Arbaʿa
Unit 4 — Philosophy of Religion, Art, Politics, Language, Environment & Human Rights
- Philosophy of Religion: The nature of God, revelation, prophethood, and the rational foundations of Islamic belief
- Philosophy of Islamic Art: Applying Mulla Sadra's ontological philosophy to the aesthetics and spiritual dimensions of Islamic art
- Political Philosophy: Islamic governance, justice, and the concept of the virtuous city from Al-Farabi to the present
- Philosophy of Language: The metaphysics of meaning, Quranic hermeneutics, and the philosophy of sacred language
- Environmental Philosophy: Islamic perspectives on the natural world, stewardship (khilafah), and ecological ethics
- Human Rights in Islam: The philosophical foundations of human dignity, rights, and justice in the Islamic tradition
Key Philosophers Studied
| Philosopher |
Period |
Key Contribution |
| Al-Farabi |
9th–10th century |
Political philosophy; the intellect; the Virtuous City |
| Ibn Sina (Avicenna) |
10th–11th century |
Essence and existence; the Necessary Being; the soul |
| Al-Ghazali |
11th–12th century |
Critique of philosophy; mysticism; the limits of reason |
| Suhrawardi |
12th century |
Philosophy of Illumination; light metaphysics |
| Ibn Arabi |
12th–13th century |
Unity of Being; the Perfect Man; mystical philosophy |
| Mulla Sadra |
16th–17th century |
Transcendent Wisdom; primacy of existence; substantial motion |
Bibliography & Key Texts
- Safavi, S.S. — Mulla Sadra: Life and Philosophy (London Academy of Iranian Studies)
- Safavi, S.S. — Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism (London Academy of Iranian Studies)
- Safavi, S.S. — Transcendent Philosophy Journal (Chief Editor, London)
- Nasr, S.H. & Leaman, O. (eds.) — History of Islamic Philosophy (Routledge)
- Corbin, H. — History of Islamic Philosophy (Kegan Paul)
- Leaman, O. — An Introduction to Classical Islamic Philosophy (Cambridge University Press)
- Mulla Sadra — Al-Asfār al-Arbaʿa (The Four Journeys)