Neoplatonism in Islamic Thought
Let's Talk Religion・47 minutes read
Neoplatonism has had a profound impact on Western religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, influencing philosophical and mystical thoughts throughout history. Islamic scholars like Ibn Sina and Ibn Arabi adapted Neoplatonic ideas to explain concepts in Islam, emphasizing the goal of turning away from physicality to achieve mystical unity with higher realities like "the One."
Insights
- Neoplatonism, originating in late Antiquity, has profoundly influenced Western religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, shaping intellectual and mystical thoughts in these traditions.
- Islamic scholars, including Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, and Ibn Sina, adopted Neoplatonic ideas to explain Islamic concepts, innovating on Greek philosophy while emphasizing ascent and mystical unity with the divine.
- Ibn Arabi's school of thought intertwines Islamic teachings with Neoplatonism, emphasizing the manifestation of God's attributes in the cosmos, the importance of mystical experiences, and the ultimate unity with the divine.
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Recent questions
What is Neoplatonism?
A philosophical system with levels of reality.
How did Neoplatonism influence Islamic thought?
By introducing mystical and philosophical concepts.
Who were the key Islamic scholars influenced by Neoplatonism?
Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, and Ibn Sina.
How does Neoplatonism relate to Sufism?
Both focus on spiritual ascent and unity with the divine.
How did Ibn Arabi contribute to Islamic philosophy?
By incorporating Neoplatonic themes and mystical ideas.
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Summary
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Influence of Neoplatonism on Western and Islamic Thought
- Neoplatonism, originating in late Antiquity with figures like Platinus, Porphyry, Iamblicus, and Proclus, has had a significant influence on Western religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
- Neoplatonism has been adapted to varying degrees in the intellectual and mystical thoughts of Islam, playing a crucial role in the history of philosophy, religion, and mysticism.
- A collaboration on Neoplatonism with various YouTube channels explores its relationship with different intellectual, religious, spiritual, and scientific traditions throughout history.
- Neoplatonism, also known as late Platonism, conceives existence as different levels or realities, starting with the highest reality called "the One," which emanates into the "Nous" or intellect, leading to the creation of the physical Universe.
- The goal of human beings in Neoplatonism is to turn away from physicality, travel inward, contemplate their true reality, and ultimately experience a mystical unity with the "Nous" and the "One."
- Islamic intellectual history, from the Falsafa tradition to Kalam theologians and Sufi mystics, shows the influence of Neoplatonism, especially during the Abbasid caliphate in the 9th to 10th century.
- Texts like the "Theology of Aristotle" and the "Discourse on the Pure Good" introduced key Neoplatonic ideas to Islamic scholars, who saw them as complementary to Islamic teachings.
- Islamic scholars, like Al-Kindi, Al-Farabi, and Ibn Sina, adopted Neoplatonic ideas to explain Islam's conception of God creating the world through emanation, identifying God with the concept of "the One."
- Ibn Sina, in his philosophical work, defines God as the necessary being, similar to the Neoplatonic "One," but with differences in attributes like existence and knowledge.
- Islamic thinkers innovated on Greek philosophical ideas, building upon them in unique ways based on Quranic teachings, showing originality in their interpretations and developments of Neoplatonic concepts.
16:45
Islamic Neoplatonism: Mysticism and Philosophical Influence
- The 10 intellects in the Platonic or Plutinian system include the first intellect associated with a planetary sphere and the 10th intellect, the active intellect, which rules over the sublunary material world.
- God controls all intellects, with the active intellect not creating the material world but being the means through which God creates it.
- Ibn Sina's system expands on the one intellect concept in Platinus to include 10 separate intellects, emphasizing the idea of ascent or return, crucial in Neoplatonism.
- Ibn Sina's writings include mystical ideas, with his masterpiece dedicating a section to mysticism or Sufism, discussing a mystical descent back to higher realities.
- Avicenna is a significant philosopher in the Islamic world, influencing Scholastic Christendom and his native region, with his ideas impacting Kalam theology in Sunni and Shia Islam.
- Ismailis, a branch of Shi Islam, adopted Neoplatonism as the core of their theology, connecting it uniquely to Islamic concepts like Prophecy, Revelation, and creation.
- The Brethren of Purity, likely Ismailis, wrote 50 Epistles with strong Neoplatonic leanings, influencing later developments in both Sunni and Shia Islam.
- Mysticism in Sufism parallels Neoplatonism, focusing on the ascent of the soul and the possibility of mystical union with the divine, similar to Platinus' ideas.
- Figures like Ibn Masara in Al-Andalus developed Islamic mysticism with Neoplatonic elements, emphasizing contemplation and ascent to higher realms.
- Ibn Arabi's school of thought, containing strong Neoplatonic themes, sees a correspondence between Islamic teachings and Neoplatonism, emphasizing the universality of truth.
32:32
God's Attributes and Creation in IBN Arabi's Teachings
- IBN Arabi's teachings view the cosmos as a manifestation of God's attributes, referencing a Hadith where God desires to be known.
- God's essence, referred to as al-haqor, is beyond all concepts and understanding, containing unlimited attributes.
- God's attributes are actualized in relation to the world, forming the level of Divinity, but they are not separate from His essence.
- God delimits Himself in stages to create the world, with the first step being the most holy effusion or Unicity.
- The reality of realities, also known as the muhammadan reality, is where all things take place, reflecting God's attributes and ways of manifestation.
- The first intellect, equated with the Holy Spirit, plays a central role in collecting and storing knowledge from God.
- The Universal Soul emanates the world of nature and the sensible universe, following the first intellect's creation.
- IBN Arabi uses Quranic terms like the pen and the tablet to describe the intellect and the soul, avoiding philosophical terms.
- In a mystical experience, IBN Arabi envisions a universal tree and four birds symbolizing aspects of the perfect man and reality itself.
- The physical world, represented by the black crow, is praised as noble and beautiful, reflecting God's attributes according to IBN Arabi's teachings.
48:44
Ibn Arabi's Mystic Neoplatonic Islamic Theology
- Ibn Arabi, a Mystic, emphasizes renouncing worldliness and turning inward to reach a state of fanaa, becoming united with God.
- God, according to Ibn Arabi, is always present, with the world and ourselves being manifestations of God's being and attributes.
- Neoplatonic ideas are prevalent in Ibn Arabi's teachings, Sufism, and Islamic thought, with a focus on returning to God and realizing our true reality.
- Neoplatonism is a significant component in Islamic theology, with scholars like Khalil Andani advocating for its value in theological discourse.
- Islamic theology grapples with the balance between God's attributes and transcendence, with some scholars adopting neoplatonic concepts more closely.
- Neoplatonic ideas like the apathetic nature of God, emanation of reality, and the journey towards spiritual union are evident in Islamic intellectual traditions, particularly in Sufism.
