Corbin Henry. History Of Islamic Philosophy

Kegan Paul Iinternational (London and New York) in association with Islamic Publications
for The Institute of Ismaili Studies (London), 2001. — 365 p."History of Islamic Philosophy" by French esotericist and expert on Islamicism Henry Corbin is an account of some of the philosophical schools which have sprung up out of the traditions of the Arab peoples (composing one of the three principal Abrahamic faiths - that of Islam). The book is translated with help from the traditionalist Greek Orthodox Christian theologian Philip Sherrard, who himself was an early follower of Rene Guenon (a convert to Islam and founder of the Traditionalist School). The book is published by the Institute for Ismaeli Studies based in London, which attempts to examine the esoteric and gnostic tradition within the theological and religious heritage of Islam. The book is divided into two parts splitting up the tradition with the death of Averroes. The first section of the book is devoted to showing the uniqueness of the Quran as the primary study tool for Islamic philosophers. Indeed, interpretation of the Quran, and mystical interpretation of the hadith or tradition, plays an essential role in the understanding of Islamic mysticism. For Muslims, there is no Magisterium (teaching authority) as there is for Christians residing in the Church. Thus, interpretation of the Quran is subject to various rules and methods for doing so. The author next includes sections dealing with Shiism and the Prophetic Philosophy (which involves interpretation of the Twelver Imams, gnosis, and Ismaelism), Sunni philosophy, Philosophy and the Natural Sciences (including mention of alchemy, astrology, and hermeticism), Hellenizing philosophers (including Al-Farabi, Avicenna, and al-Ghazali - all of whom imported Plato and Aristotle to Islamic monotheism), the unique tradition of Sufism, a special section dealing with Al-Suhrawardi and the Philosophy of Light and his Illumination, and a section dealing with Andulasia ending with Averroes. Throughout this discussion of the various traditions within Islam we see the influence of gnosticism as well as of the other Abrahamic religions and "peoples of the Book" (Jews, Christians, and Muslims), and the influence of Zoroastrianism (with its dualistic worldview), as well as the influence of even Hinduism and Buddhism to a lesser extent. The book concludes with the modern period after the death of Averroes of Islamic philosophy including reference to Sunnis, Sufis, and Shiites. Indeed, for the author Shiism and Sufism seem to play an especial role in his understanding of the uniqueness of Islamic philosophy. In sum, this book offers a very good introduction to Islamic philosophy and its history from an esotericist's perspective. Metaphysics is too often cast aside in the West; however, by importing the rich metaphysical traditions from the East which often include original Greek elements, such as the Islamic tradition, a proper restoration of this ancient philosophical discipline can be attained. If you are interested in Islamic mysticism and metaphysics in particular you might want to also consult the works of Seyyed Hossein Nasr as well as anything issuing from the Traditionalist School (originally founded by such individuals as Rene Guenon and Frithjof Schuon).ISBN10: 0710304161
ISBN13: 978-0710304162