Muslim Philosopher

A Muslim Philosopher is a Muslim that is a philosopher who can engage in philosophical inquiry within an Islamic context.

• AKA: Islamic Philosopher.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) contribute to Islamic philosophy.
  • It can (typically) integrate Greek philosophy with Islamic theology.
  • It can (typically) explore metaphysical questions through an Islamic perspective.
  • It can (typically) develop logical systems influenced by Aristotelian logic.
  • ...
  • It can (often) address ethical dilemmas in light of Islamic teachings.
  • It can (often) critique Peripatetic philosophy from a theological viewpoint.
  • It can (often) influence Western philosophy through translations and commentaries.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Peripatetic Muslim Philosopher to being an Illuminationist Muslim Philosopher, depending on its philosophical school.
  • It can range from being a Rationalist Muslim Philosopher to being a Mystical Muslim Philosopher, depending on its approach to knowledge.
  • It can range from being an Early Muslim Philosopher to being a Contemporary Muslim Philosopher, depending on its historical period.
  • It can range from being a Theoretically-Focused Muslim Philosopher to being a Practically-Focused Muslim Philosopher, depending on its application scope.
  • It can range from being a Specialized Muslim Philosopher to being a Interdisciplinary Muslim Philosopher, depending on its field integration.
  • ...
  • It can be associated with philosophical movements such as Avicennism or Sufi metaphysics.
  • It can influence cultural discourse through philosophical writings.
  • It can receive recognition in Islamic Golden Age scholarship.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Early Muslim Philosophers (8th–12th centuries), such as:
    • Al-Kindi (805–873), known as the Father of Islamic Philosophy, who combined Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism.
    • Al-Farabi (873–950), the Second Teacher, who synthesized Platonism and Aristotelianism.
    • Avicenna (Ibn Sina, 980–1037), founder of Avicennism, contributor to metaphysics and medicine.
    • Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen, c. 965–1040), pioneer in philosophy of science and optics.
    • Al-Ghazali (1058–1111), critic of Peripatetic philosophy, influential in theology.
    • Averroes (Ibn Rushd, 1126–1198), defender of Falsafa, commentator on Aristotle.
    • Ibn Bajjah (Avempace, d. 1138), contributor to philosophy of nature.
    • Ibn Tufail (d. 1185), author of philosophical novel Hayy ibn Yaqdhan.
  • Later Muslim Philosophers (Post-12th century), such as:
    • Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi (1155–1191), founder of Illuminationist school.
    • Ibn Arabi (1165–1240), known for Sufi metaphysics and unity of being.
    • Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201–1274), contributor to cosmology and logic.
    • Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), father of sociology and philosophy of history.
    • Mulla Sadra (1571–1640), founder of Transcendent Theosophy.
    • Ahmad Sirhindi (1564–1624), critic of Greek philosophy in Islamic context.
  • Contemporary Muslim Philosophers (20th–21st centuries, as of 2025), such as:
    • Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), revitalizer of Islamic philosophy, author of The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam.
    • Seyyed Hossein Nasr (1933-), contributor to perennial philosophy and Islamic environmentalism.
  • Regional Muslim Philosophers, such as:
    • Persian Muslim Philosophers, such as:
      • Avicenna (Ibn Sina), developer of ontological arguments.
      • Mulla Sadra, shifter from essentialism to existentialism.
    • Arab Muslim Philosophers, such as:
      • Al-Kindi, transmitter of Greek philosophy.
      • Ibn Khaldun, theorist of social cohesion.
    • Andalusian Muslim Philosophers, such as:
      • Averroes (Ibn Rushd), influencer of European scholasticism.
      • Ibn Arabi, mystical philosopher.
    • Indian Subcontinent Muslim Philosophers, such as:
      • Muhammad Iqbal, political philosopher.
      • Ahmad Sirhindi, emphasizer of Quranic interpretation.
    • Ottoman or Turkish Muslim Philosophers, such as examples if available, but from list, perhaps extensions.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • a Christian Philosopher, who engages in philosophy within a Christian context.
  • a Jewish Philosopher, such as Maimonides, influenced by but distinct from Muslim philosophy.
  • a Muslim Theologian, who focuses on religious doctrine without philosophical inquiry.
  • a Scientist, even if Muslim, who does not engage in philosophical questions.
• See: Philosopher, Muslim, Islamic Philosophy, Theologian, Metaphysics, Ethics.

---

---

References

2025

• (Wikipedia, 2025) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_philosophy Retrieved:2025-7-16.
  • Islamic philosophy is philosophy that emerges from the Islamic culture.

---