THIRD PILLAR - Portal για την Φιλοσοφία

Athena's Temple

Athena's Temple
ΑΕΙΦΩΤΟΣ ΛΥΧΝΟΣ

Search This Blog

Friday, December 18, 2009

Ibn Khaldun : His Life and Works,1967

IBN KHALDUN - His Life and Work
---
Ibn Khaldun is the most important figure in the field of History and Sociology in Muslim History. He is one of those shining stars that contributed so richly to the understanding of Civilization. In order for one to understand and appreciate his work, one must understand his life. He lived a life in search of stability and influence. He came from a family of scholars and politicians and he intended to live up to both expectations. He would succeed in the field of Scholarship much more so than in any other field.
.

Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun (full name, Arabic: أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي ‎, Abū Zayd ‘Abdu r-Raḥman bin Muḥammad bin Khaldūn Al-Hadrami, (May 27, 1332 AD/732 AH – March 19, 1406 AD/808 AH) was a North African polymath — an astronomer, economist, historian, Islamic scholar, Islamic theologian, hafiz, jurist, lawyer, mathematician, military strategist, nutritionist, philosopher, social scientist and statesman—born in North Africa in present-day Tunisia. He was of Arab or Berber descent.

He is considered a forerunner of several social scientific disciplines:
demography,
cultural history,
historiography,
the philosophy of history,
and sociology.

He is also considered one of the forerunners of modern economics,
although according to recent academic findings,
the Indian scholar-philosopher Chanakya predates Ibn Khaldun by a millennium in laying down the theories of economics.

Ibn Khaldun is considered by many to be the father of a number of these disciplines, and of social sciences in general,or anticipating many elements of these disciplines centuries before they were founded in the West.

He is best known for his Muqaddimah (known as Prolegomenon in the West), the first volume of his book on universal history, Kitab al-Ibar.
..
..
THE MAGNUM OPUS "AL-MUQADDIMAH" :

He would his write his Introduction to his book of universal history in a span of five months.
This impressive document is a gist of his wisdom and hard earned experience.
He would use his political and first had knowledge of the people of Maghrib to formulate many of his ideas.
This document would summarize Ibn Khaldun’s ideas about every field of knowledge during his day.
He would discuss a variety of topics.
He would discuss History and Historiography. He would rebuke some of the historical claims with a calculated logic.
He would discuss the current sciences of his days.
He would talk about astronomy, astrology, and numerology.
He would discuss Chemistry, alchemy and Magic in a scientific way.
He would freely offer his opinions and document well the "facts" of the other point of view. His discussion of Tribal societies and social forces would be the most interesting part of his thesis.
He would illuminate the world with deep insight into the workings and makings of kingdoms and civilizations.
His thesis that the conquered race will always emulate the conqueror in every way.
.
His theory about Asbyiah (group feeling) and the role that it plays in Bedouin societies is insightful.
.
His theories of the science of Umran (sociology) are all pearls of wisdom.
His Introduction is his greatest legacy that he left for all of humanity and the generations to come.

No comments: