The Meaning and Concept of Philosophy in Islam
By: Seyyed Hossein Nasr

In the light of the Qur'an and Hadith in both of which the term hikmah has been used, Muslim authorities belonging to different schools of thought have sought over the ages to define the meaning of hikmah as well as falsafah, a term which entered Arabic through the Greek translations of the second/eighth and third/ninth centuries.

On the one hand what is called philosophy in English must be sought in the context of Islamic civilization not only in the various schools of Islamic philosophy but also in schools bearing other names, especially kalam, ma'rifah, usul al-fiqh as well as the awa'il sciences, not to speak of such subjects as grammar and history which, developed particular branches of philosophy.

On the other hand each school of thought, sought to define what is- meant by hikimih or falsafah according to its own perspective and this question has remained an important concern of various schools of Islamic thought especially as far as the schools of Islamic philosophy are concerned.

During Islamic history, the terms used for Islamic philosophy as well as the debates among philosophers, the theologians and sometimes the Sufis as to the meaning of these terms varied to some extent from one period to another but not completely. Hikmah and falsafah continued to be used while such terms as al-hikmat ul-ilahiyyah and alhikmat al-muta 'aliyah gained new meaning and usage in later centuries of Islamic history, especially in the school of Mulla Sadra. The term attracting the greatest debate was hikmah, which was claimed by the Sufis and mutakallirnun as well as the philosophers, all appealing to such Hadith as: "The acquisition of hikmah is incumbent upon you and tlie good resides in hikmah." Some Sufis such as Tirmidhi were called hakim and lbn Arabi refers to the wisdom which has been unveiled through each manifestation of the logos as hikinah as seen in the very title of his masterpiece Fusus al-Hikam, while many mutakallimun such as Fakhr al-Din al-Razi claimed that kalam and not falsafah was hikmah, Ibn Khaldun confirming this view in calling the later kalam (kalam al-muta'akhkhirin) philosophy or hikmah.

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