On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

Author	Ibn Rushd
Original title	فصل المقال في ما بين الحكمة و الشريعة من إتصال

Fasl al-Maqal fi ma bayn al-Hikma wa al-Shariah min Ittisal(Arabic:فصل المقال في ما بين الحكمة و الشريعة من إتصالoften translated asOn the Harmony of Religions and PhilosophyorThe Decisive Treatise, Determining the Nature of the Connection between Religion and Philosophy,with the latter often shortened toThe Decisive Treatise) is anIslamic philosophical treatisewritten byAndalusianMuslimpolymathand philosopherIbn Rushd(Averroes) (1126–1198), in which the author "critically examine[s] the alleged tension between philosophy and religion" and concludes that philosophy (in particular,Aristotelian philosophy) is not in opposition to—and in fact, works in tandem with—Islamic thought.In the work, Averroes argues that some Muslims have an obligation to study philosophy, and that the subject should be considered an Islamic science. The work also contains several other unique ideas, including Averroes' assertion that theQur’anshould sometimes be read in a non-literal way.According to William Theodore De Bary and Ainslie Embree,On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophyrepresents a "classic attempt to reconcile religion and philosophy."

External links

• Full text available— muslimphilosophy