Description
There has been a long tradition of interest in philosophy in the Islamic world, and it is the aim of these volumes to represent the lives of some of the major thinkers within this tradition. The notion of philosophy has been interpreted broadly to include a large number of intellectuals who were interested in conceptual issues that either directly relate to philosophy or form part of the background of Islamic philosophy as a whole. Included are details about the lives of significant legal thinkers, theologians, political thinkers and even geographers where their lives are relevant indicators of the progress of philosophy in the Islamic world. In working on this project the contributors have followed a long tradition in Islamic culture of compiling biographies of Islamic personalities, in particular thinkers, which allow the reader to grasp aspects not only of their thought but of their lives. The Dictionary represents a landmark achievement in the understanding of Islamic philosophy, at a time when such understanding is needed as never before. This set will be an indispensable reference work for students of Islamic and comparative philosophy.
The Dictionary contains an alphabetically organized list of Islamic philosophers, cross referenced to different versions of each name. There is an introduction explaining the principles of selection and outlining the main features of Islamic philosophy. An extensive bibliography of biographies together with a glossary of foreign terms is also included. An international group of authors has contributed to the content, coming from South East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle Easy and North Africa, Europe and North America. Entries are written in non-technical language and no previous understanding of either philosophy or religion is presupposed. The biographical entries include all the major thinkers of Islamic philosophy since the foundation of the faith, including Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, Ibn, Ibn Tufayl, al-Kindi, al-Ghazali, al-Farabi, Omar Khayyam and many others. There are also scores of entries on minor but significant figures, many of which have not previously been profiled or described in English, including Abu'l Hasan Ibn Furak, hasan al-Banna, Hisham Ibn al-Hakam and Celal Nuri Yleri, to name but a few. Every major school of thought, from clasical falasifa to Sufi mysticism, is represented, and entires range across time from the early years of the faith to the modern period.
Table of Contents
Introduction
How to use the Dictionary
General bibliography
List of contributors
Entries A-Z
Glossary
Index of names
Index of terms
Author(s)
Oliver Leaman, Oliver Leaman, Professor of Philosophy, University of Kentucky, is the General Editor of the Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy and the author and editor of several books on Islamic philosophy and Jewish philosophy (published by British and North American presses including Routledge and Notre Dame).
Reviews
Offering a broader perspective than its title indicates, this useful encyclopedia extends beyond philosophy to include “all kinds of theoretical inquiry which were regarded in their time as philosophical, “ including the Islamic sciences, grammar, theology, law, and traditions. Potential readers will discover that this work not only covers a great variety of philosophers, but also non philosophical Sufi mystics like Abu Sa’id and Rab’ia and influential mystical poets like Ibn al-Farid. The editor is to be commended for compiling a work that will help to alleviate the pervasive ignorance for Islamic thought and culture in English speaking countries.
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"…this is a fine resource for the serious Islamic studies scholar. It should intersect well with another two-volume resource, Hans Daiber’s soon to be supplemented Bibliography of Islamic Philosophy (see ARBA 2000 entry 1269), probably the most authoritative bibliography published to date."
American Reference Books Annual,
"Leaman’s work fills an important gap in reference literature. While aimed at an academic audience, the sets clearly crafted essays grant people access to the ideas and people comprising almost 1400 years of Islamic philosophical tradition. This work is recommended for college, university libraries, and religious institutions."
American Reference Books Annual,
Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
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