Islamic Philosophy

A Mixture of Several Cultures
After the death of Muhammad Pbuh, caliphs through a consensus that resulted by hard
discussion took the leadership of Moslem society. Abu Bakar al-Siddiq arose as the
first caliphs in Moslem society, then Omar bin Khattab as the second, Otsman bin
Affan as the third and Ali bin Abu Thalib as the last caliphs. Caused by internal
conflict – power scramble – among Moslem society, the caliph system changes into
system of monarchy. After during brother war, Omaya empire (the heredity of Bani
Omaya) got the first chance to govern Moslem society. They continued Power
expansion, which has begun since Omar era after becalmed a moment to look to
internal conflict.[1]
But no long after that, an internal conflict arose again around the palace of empire of
Omaya. Bani Abbasiyah undermined the power of the empire. This conflict caused
the age of the empire didn’t go so long, just 90 years old. Bani Abbasiyah (the
heredity of Al-Abbas bin Abd Al-Muttallib) usurped the authority of power of the
empire. The new empire (Bani Abbasiyah) got a wide control or authority from the
former empire involves Spain, North African, Arab peninsula, Iraq, a part of Minor-
Asian, Persian, Afghanistan and a part of Middle-Asian. In several domains of their
authority are centers of cultures and development science.[2]
The motivation of development of knowledge appears in Abbasiya empire era,
especially in caliph Al-Ma’mun era (813-833 M). The translation of ancient books
into Arab from Greek, Persian and ancient Syria occurs during from the first of two
century to the last of four century.[3] Caliph Al-Ma’mun built a glorious library,
Bait Al-Hikmah, in Baghdad that became a center of translation and science.[4] The
library cannot found in Western Europe.[5] Caliph paid translators who were
Christians, Jews even Shabi’in too expensive.
The books that were translated were from several languages and cultures, from Greek,
ancient Syria, Persian, Ibranian, Indian Qibtian, Nibtian and Latin.[6] Multiplicity of
knowledge and culture resource framed the style of Islamic Philosophy hereafter.
Nonetheless we have to acknowledge that from several cultures, concern to the
ancient Greek was more than others, especially the translation of books of ancient
popular philosophers, like Plato and Aristotle. Some works that were converted by
Persian and Indian culture involve astronomy, medical, and a few about other
religion.[7] Like Al-Biruni (d. 1048) who explained about fundamental faith of
Indian people in his work, Tahqiqi ma li Al-Hind min Maqulah (Religion of Indian
People). In this work, he compared religion of Indian with Greek culture. Or
translation of Ibn Al-Muqaffa’ from Sanskrit language which the title was Kalilah wa
Dimnah. This book has content about Persian literature.[8]
As Shaliba said in his book, Al-Falsafah Al-‘Arabiyah (1973), development of
Islamic philosophy occurs in two stages.[9] The first is stage of translation and the
second stage of knowledge production. After the stage of translation, some
philosophers appeared and took a way of Greek philosophy. According to Fazlur
Rahman, what we called Islamic Philosophy in its relation with Greek philosophy has
to be regarded as “matter-form” relation.[10] He means that Islamic philosophy is
nothing but Greek philosophy as a matter, but was actualized in Islamic form.[11]
With the matter and form relation, we cannot say that Islamic philosophy is a carbon
copy of Greek philosophy or Hellenism.[12] Shaliba don’t think difference from the
one before, he said that difference of Islamic and Greek philosophy is in their aim or
background. The aim of Greek philosophy is motivated by aesthetical background and
Islamic philosophy is motivated by religion background (faith of Islam).[13]
So difficult to make a classification of the tendency of Islamic philosophy ways
strictly. For example, the Neo-Platonism that was in Islam philosophy was regarded
as a stand point of Plato and Aristotle thought. Whereas in latest research we know
that between Plato and Aristotle thought is different. Hence we say that so much
styles of Neo-Platonism more save than we say only one style.[14] Same opinion
comes from Cak Nur who said in his book, Islam Doktrin dan Peradaban (Islam,
Doctrin and Civilization), that Neo-Platonism which reached around Moslem
philosophers was mixed into Aristotelianism interpretation.[15] Or Aristotle thought
that came around Moslem philosophers is not from Aristotle books directly, but from
Aristotle interpretators. We can say from this fact that Aristotle did not teach Moslem
philosophers directly by his books.[16]
Notes:
1 See Harun Nasution, Islam Ditinjau Dari Bebabagi Aspeknya, p. 56-67
2 Ibid., p. 68
3 Jamil Shaliba, Al-Falsafah Al-‘Arabiyah, p. 96
4 Op. Cit., Harun Nasution, p. 68
5 Frederick Meyer, A History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, p.391, American
Book Company, 1950
6 Op. Cit., Jamil Shaliba, P. 95
7 Oliver Leamen, Pengantar Filsafat Islam Sebuah Pendekatan Tematis, P. 10-11,
Mizan, Jakarta, 2001
8 Majid Fakhry, Sejarah Filsfat Islam Sebuah Peta Kronologis, P. 10-11, Mizan,
Jakarta 2002.
9 In his book, Jamil Shaliba do not call Islamic Philosophy but Arabic philosophy. He
gives some reasons, first, because works of philosophers includes in his book are
written in Arabic language. Second, because development of Islamic philosophy is
not only developed by Moslem but Christians, Jews as translators from Greek and
ancient Syria. Third, if his book is called Islamic philosophy, we have to include some
Moslem philosophers who wrote in non-Arabic language. But in his last point, he said
that between Islamic philosophy and Arabic philosophy is not different.
10 A thought of Aristotle to understand change process of physical object. According
to him, every physical object involves from matter and form, this thought is called
hylemorpism. See more than here in K. Bertens, Sejarah Filsafat Yunani, p. 170-173,
1999
11 Fazlur Rahman, Islam, p. 167, Pustaka, Jakarta, 1997
12 Nurcholish Madjid, Islam, Doktrin dan Peradaban, p. 218, Paramadina, Jakarta,
2000
13 Op. Cit., Shaliba, P. 24-25. If Shaliba means the aesthetical motive in background
of Greek philosophy is a paradigm that said that everything would be not eternal, this
opinion is in contradiction to thought of Plato Idea that will be eternal and unchanged.
(See K. Bertens, p. 129-136, 1999)
14 Op.Cit., Oliver Leamen, P. 4
15 Op. Cit., Nurcholish Madjid, P. 226
16 Ibid., p. 227
Sunaryo, researcher staff of Epistemology at IIIT IndonesiaIslamic Philosophy:
A Mixture of Several Cultures
Sunaryo
After the death of Muhammad Pbuh, caliphs through a consensus that resulted by hard
discussion took the leadership of Moslem society. Abu Bakar al-Siddiq arose as the
first caliphs in Moslem society, then Omar bin Khattab as the second, Otsman bin
Affan as the third and Ali bin Abu Thalib as the last caliphs. Caused by internal
conflict – power scramble – among Moslem society, the caliph system changes into
system of monarchy. After during brother war, Omaya empire (the heredity of Bani
Omaya) got the first chance to govern Moslem society. They continued Power
expansion, which has begun since Omar era after becalmed a moment to look to
internal conflict.[1]
But no long after that, an internal conflict arose again around the palace of empire of
Omaya. Bani Abbasiyah undermined the power of the empire. This conflict caused
the age of the empire didn’t go so long, just 90 years old. Bani Abbasiyah (the
heredity of Al-Abbas bin Abd Al-Muttallib) usurped the authority of power of the
empire. The new empire (Bani Abbasiyah) got a wide control or authority from the
former empire involves Spain, North African, Arab peninsula, Iraq, a part of Minor-
Asian, Persian, Afghanistan and a part of Middle-Asian. In several domains of their
authority are centers of cultures and development science.[2]
The motivation of development of knowledge appears in Abbasiya empire era,
especially in caliph Al-Ma’mun era (813-833 M). The translation of ancient books
into Arab from Greek, Persian and ancient Syria occurs during from the first of two
century to the last of four century.[3] Caliph Al-Ma’mun built a glorious library,
Bait Al-Hikmah, in Baghdad that became a center of translation and science.[4] The
library cannot found in Western Europe.[5] Caliph paid translators who were
Christians, Jews even Shabi’in too expensive.
The books that were translated were from several languages and cultures, from Greek,
ancient Syria, Persian, Ibranian, Indian Qibtian, Nibtian and Latin.[6] Multiplicity of
knowledge and culture resource framed the style of Islamic Philosophy hereafter.
Nonetheless we have to acknowledge that from several cultures, concern to the
ancient Greek was more than others, especially the translation of books of ancient
popular philosophers, like Plato and Aristotle. Some works that were converted by
Persian and Indian culture involve astronomy, medical, and a few about other
religion.[7] Like Al-Biruni (d. 1048) who explained about fundamental faith of
Indian people in his work, Tahqiqi ma li Al-Hind min Maqulah (Religion of Indian
People). In this work, he compared religion of Indian with Greek culture. Or
translation of Ibn Al-Muqaffa’ from Sanskrit language which the title was Kalilah wa
Dimnah. This book has content about Persian literature.[8]
As Shaliba said in his book, Al-Falsafah Al-‘Arabiyah (1973), development of
Islamic philosophy occurs in two stages.[9] The first is stage of translation and the
second stage of knowledge production. After the stage of translation, some
philosophers appeared and took a way of Greek philosophy. According to Fazlur
Rahman, what we called Islamic Philosophy in its relation with Greek philosophy has
to be regarded as “matter-form” relation.[10] He means that Islamic philosophy is
nothing but Greek philosophy as a matter, but was actualized in Islamic form.[11]
With the matter and form relation, we cannot say that Islamic philosophy is a carbon
copy of Greek philosophy or Hellenism.[12] Shaliba don’t think difference from the
one before, he said that difference of Islamic and Greek philosophy is in their aim or
background. The aim of Greek philosophy is motivated by aesthetical background and
Islamic philosophy is motivated by religion background (faith of Islam).[13]
So difficult to make a classification of the tendency of Islamic philosophy ways
strictly. For example, the Neo-Platonism that was in Islam philosophy was regarded
as a stand point of Plato and Aristotle thought. Whereas in latest research we know
that between Plato and Aristotle thought is different. Hence we say that so much
styles of Neo-Platonism more save than we say only one style.[14] Same opinion
comes from Cak Nur who said in his book, Islam Doktrin dan Peradaban (Islam,
Doctrin and Civilization), that Neo-Platonism which reached around Moslem
philosophers was mixed into Aristotelianism interpretation.[15] Or Aristotle thought
that came around Moslem philosophers is not from Aristotle books directly, but from
Aristotle interpretators. We can say from this fact that Aristotle did not teach Moslem
philosophers directly by his books.[16]