In this article, I examine key passages from the Aš῾arite theologian Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's (d. 606/1210) final work, Al-Maṭālib al-῾āliya (' The lofty inquiries '), in order to theorize Rāzī's cosmology and angelology. In his attempt to... more

In this article, I examine key passages from the Aš῾arite theologian Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's (d. 606/1210) final work, Al-Maṭālib al-῾āliya (' The lofty inquiries '), in order to theorize Rāzī's cosmology and angelology. In his attempt to prove the existence of these beings, Rāzī divides reality into material and intelligible realms. Angels, which signify the celestial intellects and spheres, exist as non-space-occupying beings and represent an aspect of the intelligible world. Of these, some are associated with celestial bodies, and others are entirely unassociated with materiality. I then present evidence for the possibility that Rāzī believed that these celestial spiritual beings are pre-eternal with God. These positions indicate a certain degree of conceptual continuity with the falsafa tradition, and reflect al-Ġazālī's (d. 505/1111) previous integration of the philosophical structure of reality into some of his texts. Additionally, one may look to other philosophical currents that developed in the Islamic world beyond the falāsifa, and connect Rāzī's cosmology to both the Hermetic tradition and the Epistles of the Iḫwān al-Ṣafā᾿.
Dans cet article, j'analyse des passages cruciaux de la composition finale du théologien Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 606/1210), Al-Maṭālib al-῾āliya (« Les nobles en-quêtes »), afin de théoriser sur la nature de deux de ses études : la cosmologie et l'angé-lologie. En cherchant à prouver l'existence de ces êtres, Rāzī divise la réalité en deux do-maines : matériel et intelligible. Les anges, qui symbolisent les intellects et les sphères, existent dans une réalité intelligible comme des êtres qui n'occupent pas d'espace. Par-mi eux, certains sont associés aux corps célestes, et d'autres ne s'associent à aucune chose matérielle. Dans un deuxième temps, je présente des arguments suggérant que Rāzī pensait peut-être que ces êtres célestes sont prééternels avec Dieu. Ces conceptions montrent une continuité avec la tradition philosophique islamique, et elles la structure philosophique de la réalité intégrée par al-Ġazālī (d. 505/1111) dans quelques textes théologiques. De plus, on a examiné d'autres courants philosophiques développés dans le monde islamique qui ont pu agir sur la cosmologie de Rāzī, en lien avec la tradition hermétique et avec les Épîtres des frères de la Pureté.

The Qur’an, the primary source of knowledge for all Muslims, contains universal principles. This Holy Book has been interpreted numerous times by scholars since its revelation. Despite being a single text, just 300 pages long, the rich... more

The Qur’an, the primary source of knowledge for all Muslims, contains universal principles. This Holy Book has been interpreted numerous times by scholars since its revelation. Despite being a single text, just 300 pages long, the rich content of the Qur’an has afforded multiple types of exegesis, each of them different according to the capacity of the scholar, the conditions of the time, and the mentality behind the approach. Great linguists tried to interpret the Qur’an by following the guidelines of Arabic grammar while Kalam scholars aimed to establish the sound pillars of Islamic theology with their Qur’anic exegeses. Since the revelation of the Qur’an, which took place over a period of twenty-three years, some scholars produced thematic Tafsir books to enable an easy comprehension of the Divine messages by laymen. In order to draw attention to the fact that Islam is not just set of rules or acts to perform, but a holistic religion which combines both the spirit and body, Sufi masters produced many Sufi Tafsir books. In the modern age, scholars have tried to interpret the Qur’an pragmatically and in harmony with modern sciences. In this book, Dogan aims to show the different approaches in Qur’anic exegesis and elaborate each method with examples.

[In Japanese: accepted, forthcoming 2019] This paper philologically argues for the hypothesis that the leading Sunnite scholar, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606/1210), did not complete his Great Exegesis (al-Tafsir al-kabir), otherwise known... more

[In Japanese: accepted, forthcoming 2019]
This paper philologically argues for the hypothesis that the leading Sunnite scholar, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (d. 606/1210), did not complete his Great Exegesis (al-Tafsir al-kabir), otherwise known as the Keys to the Arcane (al-Mafatih al-ghayb). This Quranic commentary was reportedly supplemented by al-Razi's pupil, Shams al-Din al-Khuwayyi (d. 637/1240), and some modern researchers have argued for the so-far unconfirmed addition by al-Khuwayyi. This paper reads his treatises and demonstrates the hypothesis.

[In Japanese] This paper reinterprets Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's arguments about the theological-political ruler, 'Imam,' in his Kalam treatises. It also explores his intention of the theory of 'human species' in his latest work on... more

[In Japanese]
This paper reinterprets Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's arguments about the theological-political
ruler, 'Imam,' in his Kalam treatises. It also explores his intention of the theory of 'human species' in his latest work on 'theology,' al-Matalib al-'aliya min al-'ilm al-ilahi.
大渕久志「ファフルッディーン・ラーズィーの政治神学」日本中東学会第35回年次大会（2019年5月12日）

All-Japan-Exeter Joint Workshop / Tobunken Symposium, 'Knowledge as Power: Production, Control, and Manipulation of Knowledge in Muslim Societies,' at The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (The University of Tokyo), April 27-28,... more

All-Japan-Exeter Joint Workshop / Tobunken Symposium, 'Knowledge as Power: Production, Control, and Manipulation of Knowledge in Muslim Societies,' at The Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (The University of Tokyo), April 27-28, 2019.
Zayn al-Din al-Kashshi, one of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's major pupils, believed that the intellectual elites were responsible for the treatment of the disease of 'taqlid' (uncritical acceptance of authority) not only of scholars and falasifa but also of the commons. (April 27, 2019)

The question whether God knows particular individuals has traditionally attracted the attention of Islamic scholars: Does the perishability of worldly individuals entail problems about the perishability of God's corresponding knowledge?... more

The question whether God knows particular individuals has traditionally attracted the attention of Islamic scholars: Does the perishability of worldly individuals entail problems about the perishability of God's corresponding knowledge? Can one eternally know that Zayd will arrive tomorrow to the city? In this paper, I systemically and historically analyze (1) how post-Avicennian philosophers distinguished between two pre-Avicennian kalām views on whether such knowledge is eternal or perishable; (2) how they regarded Avicenna's famous theory that God knows particulars qua universals as connected to the pre-Avicennian kalām debate; (3) and how the authors such as Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 1210) and Šihāb al-Dīn al-Suhrawardī (d. 1191) attempted to synthesize Avicenna and kalām epis-temology in their account of God's knowledge as relation or as presence.

İbn Sînâ'nın Uyûnu'l-hikme adlı eserine Fahreddin Râzî'nin yazdığı şerhin felsefî bilimlerin sınıflandırılmasına dair kısmının metin ve tercümesi. Metin, eserin Âtıf Efendi Kütüphanesi, nr. 1592'de yer alan nüshası esas alınarak... more

İbn Sînâ'nın Uyûnu'l-hikme adlı eserine Fahreddin Râzî'nin yazdığı şerhin felsefî bilimlerin sınıflandırılmasına dair kısmının metin ve tercümesi. Metin, eserin Âtıf Efendi Kütüphanesi, nr. 1592'de yer alan nüshası esas alınarak hazırlanmıştır.

Le ms 1259 de la BNF est un traité de théologie rationnelle anonyme, acéphale et dont les cahiers sont en désordre. Dans cette notule, nous identifions le texte, qui est un extrait des Maṭālib al-ʿāliya de Fakhreddine al-Rāzī et nous... more

Le ms 1259 de la BNF est un traité de théologie rationnelle anonyme, acéphale et dont les cahiers sont en désordre. Dans cette notule, nous identifions le texte, qui est un extrait des Maṭālib al-ʿāliya de Fakhreddine al-Rāzī et nous retraçons l'histoire du volume depuis son acquisition au XVII e siècle par le Chancelier de France Pierre Séguier, qui possédait une importante collection de manuscrits arabes.

An English translation of the first part of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's Muhassal (Summary). Published in 2019 in the Bulletin of the Islamic Studies department of the University of Tokyo, titled 『イスラム思想研究』 (Islam Shisou Kenkyu; 'Studies of... more

An English translation of the first part of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi's Muhassal (Summary).
Published in 2019 in the Bulletin of the Islamic Studies department of the University of Tokyo, titled 『イスラム思想研究』 (Islam Shisou Kenkyu; 'Studies of Islamic Thoughts'). The link to the bulletin => https://repository.dl.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index.php?action=pages_view_main&active_action=repository_view_main_item_snippet&index_id=8076&pn=1&count=20&order=17&lang=japanese&page_id=28&block_id=31

[forthcoming from AJAMES in 2019] The first critical edition of the 'Introduction' (al-Muqaddima) to Ḥadāʾiq al-ḥaqāʾiq, the philosophical book of Zayn al-Dīn al-Kaššī (d. before 625/1228), one of Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's (d. 606/1210)... more

[forthcoming from AJAMES in 2019]
The first critical edition of the 'Introduction' (al-Muqaddima) to Ḥadāʾiq al-ḥaqāʾiq, the philosophical book of Zayn al-Dīn al-Kaššī (d. before 625/1228), one of Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī's (d. 606/1210) major pupils.

Onto-epistemological status of mental representations can be seen among the most controversial problems of Post-Avicennan philosophy. The problem has its roots in Ibn Sīnā’s attempt to achieve a predicational unity between the layers of... more

Onto-epistemological status of mental representations can be seen among the most controversial problems of Post-Avicennan philosophy. The problem has its roots in Ibn Sīnā’s attempt to achieve a predicational unity between the layers of being on the one hand, and in Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s criticisms of mental existence and universality of mental exemplars on the other. Al-Rāzī’s criticisms have led prominent followers of Ibn Sīnā to reconsider Avicennan principle of “preservation of essences in multi-layered being” and his conception of knowledge as an immaterial representation of nature. Against al-Rāzī’s criticism, al-Ṭūsī tried to narrow the ontological extension of essences and redefined universal predication. His attempt can be seen as a kind of idealist transition from Avicenna’s conception of “nature equal to representation” to “nature as representation”. Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s involvement in the discussion took the narrowing efforts to the next level. In addition to al-Ṭūsī’s narrowing the ontological extensions of essences through giving them only an epistemological role, Quṭb al-Dīn al-Rāzī downgraded their epistemological roles as well and identified them just as individual exemplars (mithāl) in an individual mind. In addition to Al-Ṭūsī’s hesitant rejection of universal natures in external world, he clearly rejects the existence of universal natures in the external world. His first position led him to redefine the notion of correspondence and universality, and his second position led him to propose a non-explanatory interpretation of Ibn Sīnā’s hylomorphic substances. In this paper, I will discuss the continuities and discontinuities of his interpretations in respect to Ibn Sīnā’s strong metaphysical realism and his philosophical project aims to construct the unity of essences in multi-layered being.

Was ist das eigentlich: »Islam« – handelt es sich um eine Religion wie das Christentum, die ähnlich von Auseinandersetzungen mit der weltlichen Macht und der Vernunft geprägt wurde? Gibt es im Islam einen Konflikt zwischen Glauben und... more

Was ist das eigentlich: »Islam« – handelt es sich um eine Religion wie das Christentum, die ähnlich von Auseinandersetzungen mit der weltlichen Macht und der Vernunft geprägt wurde? Gibt es im Islam einen Konflikt zwischen Glauben und Wissen? Hat der Islam eine Reformation versäumt und sollte sie nachholen? Wie kann man über islamistisch geprägte Anschläge anders denken, als dass es Racheakte von fanatischen Glaubenskriegern sind, die mit Ideen aus dem islamischen Mittelalter einer Gehirnwäsche unterzogen wurden? Oder haben diese Fragen letztlich nichts mit dem Islam an sich zu tun, sondern eher mit Sichtweisen des Westens?
Für eine Leseprobe, klicken Sie bitte auf den Link unter 'Files' (siehe oben) und gehen Sie auf der Reclam-Webseite des Buches zu 'Leseprobe.'

ULUSLARARASI İSTANBUL FELSEFE KONGRESİ BİLDİRİ KİTABI
ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON PHILOSOPHY PROCEEDINGS BOOK CİLT 1
TÜRKİYE'DE FELSEFE - İSLAM FELSEFESİ PHILOSOPHY IN TURKEY - ISLAMIC/ARABIC PHILOSOPHY

The theory of nazm which was established by Abd al-Qâhir al-Jurjânî (d. 471/1078) to explain the phenomenon of the Qur’anic miracle has found its most fruitful application in the tafsîr literature and has directed the subsequent language,... more

The theory of nazm which was established by Abd al-Qâhir al-Jurjânî (d. 471/1078) to explain the phenomenon of the Qur’anic miracle has found its most fruitful application in the tafsîr literature and has directed the subsequent language, balâgha and tafsîr studies. In this thesis, Fakhr al-Dîn al-Râzî’s (d. 606/1210) understanding of nazm, who stands at an important point in the course of the theory, is studied within the scope of his thoughts in tafsîr, i‘jâz and balâgha fields. In the first part, the historical background of the concept of nazm exhibited in different scientific traditions. Here showed that the concept of nazm was first dealt with in a theoretical scale by al-Jurjânî, and has not found a serious response in the i‘jâz and balâgha literature in the period between al-Jurjânî and al-Râzî, and brought on the agenda both in theoretical and practical level by al-Râzî first time after al-Jurjânî. In the main part of the thesis, the concept of nazm examined respectively in historical order throughout al-Râzî’s three related works; Nihâyat al-îjâz, Nihâyat al-‘uqûl and Mafâtîh al-ghayb. In the study reached the conclusion that the theory of nazm has been taken over by al-Râzî instrumentally, neglecting its main issues and conceptual emphases.

Part I of Razi's 'Foundation of Sanctification', along with a representative selection of Ibn Taymiyyah's responses.
Translated and Introduced by Suheil Laher
Draft Version; Not for Citation