The Heart of Islamic Philosophy: The Quest for Self-Knowledge in the Teachings of Afdal al-Din Kashani

by William C Chittick

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This book introduces the work of an important medieval Islamic philosopher who is little known outside the Persian world. Afdal al-Din Kashani was a contemporary of a number of important Muslim thinkers, including Averroes and Ibn al-Arabi. Kashani did not write for advanced students of philosophy but rather for beginners. In the main body of his work, he offers expecially clear and insightful expositions of various philosophical positions, making him an
invaluable resource for those who would like to learn the basic principles and arguments of this philosophical tradition but do not have a strong background in philosophy. Kashani held the position that philosophy awakens people from forgetfulness and incites them to reach for the perfection of existence. It
was for this reason that he sought to make philosophy as accessible as possible to a wider than usual group of readers. In this book, Chittick uses Kashani and his work to introduce the basic issues and arguments of Islamic philosophy to modern readers.
  • ISBN10 0195139135
  • ISBN13 9780195139136
  • Publish Date 8 November 2001
  • Publish Status Active
  • Publish Country US
  • Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
  • Format Hardcover
  • Pages 374
  • Language English