About The Book

The Ikhwan Al- Safa' or Brethren of Purity were a highly secretive group of tenth-century Shi'ite thinkers, their identities remaining unclear even today. Renowned for creating the legendary Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa, an encyclopedia of philosophical sciences, they proposed a coherent intellectual system that sought to reconcile human reasoning with prophetic revelation.

This fascinating survey provides a clear, objective and innovative introduction to the Brethren of Purity and their encyclopedic project, showing its critical place in the history of Arabic science, philosophy and literature.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

INTRODUCTION

Shi‘ism
Philosophy
The tenth century

1 ESOTERICISM

The name
The problem of date and authorship
Ancient evidence
Later conjectures
Modern confusion
The tangible corpus of epistles

2 EMANATIONISM

The formation of the universe
The creation of time
Coming-to-be and passing-away
The place of man in God's creation
Man's double nature
The sin of the First Adam
Eschatological prospects

3 MILLENARIANISM

Astrological determinism
The theory of prophetic cycles
The origin of prophetic astrology
A propitious conjunction in sight
The Sleepers of the Cave
Concealment and manifestation
The rising of the three qa'ims

4 ENCYCLOPAEDISM

The classification of knowledge
Propaedeutic sciences
Religious sciences
Philosophical sciences
The subdivisions of philosophy
Comparison of the systems

5 SYNCRETISM

The Greek heritage
Persian and Indian influences
Reconciling profane and sacred wisdom
The interpretation of the Qur'an
The leveling of sacred authorities
The ultimate books

6 IDEALISM

Other confessions
Religious law
The true imam
Imagined propaganda
The sessions of science
Metaphors for Utopia

Epilogue
Guide to further reading
Index of passages from the Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa'
General index

About The Author

Author Godefroid de Callatay is Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Louvain.