History of Islamic Philosophy

Abstract

This translated article offers a focused account of the history of Islamic philosophy as a field shaped by the interaction of religious text, the Arabic language, inherited philosophical traditions, kalam, and Sufism. It emphasizes that Islamic philosophy cannot be reduced to a mere continuation of Greek philosophy or to a channel through which ancient thought passed to Europe. Rather, it represents a distinctive intellectual experience grounded in the Qur’an and in questions of divine unity, existence, knowledge, language, and interpretation. The article discusses the role of translation, the formation of philosophical terminology, and the capacity of Arabic to generate and refine concepts. It also highlights the engagement between philosophical reason, theological debate, Qur’anic exegesis, and spiritual thought. The article concludes that the history of Islamic philosophy should be approached as a complex and living intellectual heritage, not as a marginal appendix to ancient or European philosophy.