Ibn Sīnā's Thought on The" Perfect Man": the Role of the Faculties of The

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Ibn Sīnā's Thought on The National Library Bibliothèque nationale of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Direction des acquisitions et Bibliographic SerJices Branch des services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wclhngton Ottawa. OntarIO Ot13Wa (OntJ,no) K1A QN4 K1A ON4 ,-........ /.... ~-..:, .. "." ............. OU'/,I<' M't,!,,'"'''''''''''' NOTICE AVIS The quality of this microform is La qualité de cette microforme heavily dependent upon the dépend grandement de la qualité quality of the original thesis de la thèse soumise au submitted for microfilming. microfilmage. Nous avons tout Every effort has been made to fait pour assurer une qualité ensure the highest quality of supérieure de reproduction. reproduction possible. If pages are missing, contact the S'il manque des pages, veuillez university which granted the communiquer avec· l'université degree. qui a conféré le grade. 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C-30, et subsequent amendments. ses amendements subséquents. ,- Canada • IBN SiNÀ'S THOUGHT ON THE "PERFECT MAN": THE ROLE OF THE FACULTIES OF THE SOUL by Arba'iyah Yusuf A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Reseach McGiII University, Montreal, in Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Institute of Islamic Studies McGiII University Montreal 1994 National Ubrary Bibl;o!hèque nationale of Canada du Car!ada ••• Acquisitions and Direction des acquisitions et Bibliog raphic Services Branch des services bibliographiques 39S Welli!19tOlI Slreer 395. rue Welhngton Ottawa. Or.lario Ottawa (Ont.no) K1i-.0N4 K1AON4 THE AUTHOR HAS GRANTED AN ::"AUTEUR A ACCORDE UNE LICENCE IRREVOCABLE NON-EXCLUSIVE IRREVOCABLE ET NON EXCLUSIVE LICENCE ALLOWING THE NATIONAL PERMETTANT A LA BIBLIOTrlEQUE LIBRARY OF CANADA TO NATIONALE DU CANADA DE REPRODUCE, LOAN, DISTRIBUTE OR REPRODUIRE, PRETER, DISTRIBUER SELL COPIES OF ffiS/HER THESIS BY OU VENDRE DES COPIES DE SA ANY MEANS AND IN ANY FORM OR THESE DE QUELQUE MANIERE ET FORMAT, MAKING TffiS THESIS SOUS QUELQUE FORME QUE CE SOIT AVAILABLE TO lNTERESTED POUR METTRE DES EXEMPLAIRES DE PERSONS. CETTE THESE ALA DISPOSmON DES PERSONNE INTERESSEES. THE AUTHORRETAlNS OWNERSmP L'AUTEUR CONSERVE LA PROPRIETE OF THE COPYRIGHT IN ffiSIHER DU DROIT D'AUTEUR QUI PROTEGE THESIS. NEITHER THE THESIS NOR SA THESE. NI LA THESE NI DES SUBSTANTIAL EXTRACTS FROM IT EXTRAITS SUBSTANTIELS DE CELLE­ MAY BE PRlNTED OR OTHERWISE CI NE DOIVENT ETRE IMPRIMES OU REPRODUCED WlTHOUT ffiSIHER AUTREMENT REPRODUITS SANS SON PERMISSION. AUTORISATION. ISBN 0-315-99952-7 Canad;I • ABSTRACT AUTHOR : Arba'iyah Yusuf TITLE OF THESIS : Ibn Sïna's thought on the "Perfect Man": the role of the faculties of the soul DEPARTMENT : Institute of Islarnic Studies, McGiII University DEGREE : Master of Arts (M.A.) This thesis is a study ofIbn Sïna's concept ofthe Perfect Man, which is studied here with reference to the role of the faculties of the soul. Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to Ibn S""ma's life and his intellectual background. Chapter II studies Ibn Sïna's views on hurnan existence, the human body and the hurnan soul. In the • section dealing with the the hurnan soul, the faculties of the soul are elaborated at length. Chapter m discusses Ibn S""ma's concept of the Perfect Man, a person who has reached the highest position which corresponds to the acquired intellect. This chapter a1so discusses Ibn S""ma's view of the role of the faculties of the soul in anaining to the position of perfection. • i Résumé • Auteur : Arba'iyah Yusuf Titre de Thesis : "La Pensée d'Ibn Sïna à Propos de l'homme parfait: Le rôle des Facultés de l'âme Division : Institut des Études Islamiques l'Université McGill Licence : Maitrise en Arts CeTte thèse fait une étude ~u concept de l'homme parfait chez Ibn Sïnà, \' isant en particulier le role des facultés de l'âme. Le premier chapitre comprend une brève introduction à la vie d'Ibn Sïna et de son milieu intellectuel. Dans le deuxième chapitre, on expose les théories de Ibn Sina sur l'existence humaine, sur le corps humain ainsi que sur l'âme. Un interêt pa.rticulier, est porté àl'étude des facultes de l'âme. Dans le chapitre trois, en première partie,la conception de Ibn Sïna de l'homme parfait, celui qui a a~eint le niv~u suprême, donc le niveau de l'intellect acquis. est discuté _ En seconde partie, on discute le rôle des facultés de l'âme ainsi que leur importance, dans l'aTteinte de la perfection. .. • TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .ii DEDICATION iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .iv INTRODUCTION: 1 CHAPTER 1 : IBN SÏNA: HIS LiFE AND INTELLECTUAL BACKGROUND ....4 A. Ibn Sïna's Life 5 B. Ibn Sïna's Intellectual Background 11 1. Youth and education 11 2. His Works 19 CHAPTER Il : IBN SINA'S NOTION OF THE HUMAN BEING 28 A. Human e.xistence 28 B. The elements of I:uman beings 36 • 1. Body 37 2. The soul 39 CHAPTER III : IBN SINA'S CONCEPT OF THE "PERFECT MAN" 54 A. The idea ofthe Perfect Man 54 B. The role ofthe facul:ies ofthe soul in attaining the level of perfection 64 CONCLUSION 75 APPENDIX 77 BIBLiOGRAPHY 82 • Il • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis has taken me one year to write. and has reached completion with the help of my certain people. 1 would like to thank Dr. Eric Onnsby. who supervised this thesis. made useful comments on earlier drafts. helpful references. and prov;ded much encouragement 1would like to thank also Dr. Sajida Alvi. my academic advisor. for her help and encouragement My thanks are also due to Dr. Abdul Aziz Sachedina with whom 1 flfSt discussed my thesis proposai. 1 wish to thank the staff of the Islamic Studies library for their help in locating and obtaining the source material for me. 1 should also like to take this opportunity to record my gratitude to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA] and the McGill-lndonesia IAIN Project for making it possible for me to study at McGill University. 1 am also grateful to my friends particularly, Devi Yanti, Nanang Tahqiq and Abdul Muhayya for their unswerving help and support 1 wish to thank Mu~ammad Qasim Zaman and Richard McGregor for editing this thesis. and Oliver l:Ianif Gilsenan for proof reading it Finally, 1 am extremely grateful to my relatives in Indonesia, whose support has enableci me to complete my studies abroad. e- iii • The thesis is dedicaled for who are in the spirit of seeking the knowledge iv • INTRODUCTION In his article "Avicenna: Introduction" in Encyclopaedia Iranica, Muhsin Mahdi observes: The generally accepted view that Islamic philosophic tradition established by F"ariibI (d. 339/950) came to an end with Ibn Rushd (Averroes, fl 520­ 95/1126-98) has becn challenged by scholars who have pointed to the continuity of that tradition in the East, principally ir. Iran, to the present day. In order to understand the point at issue, one must begin with Avicenna. as a disciple of F"arabI, which in many ways he was, but <sIso as a thinker who attempted to redefine the course of Islanùc philosophy and channel it into new directions. For to.the extent that the post-AveiToistic tradition remained philosophic, it move<! in the directions charted for it by Avicenna in the investigation of both theoretical and practical sciences.' Ibn S"ma was one of the greatest Muslim philosophers. A polymath, his work encompasses a variety of subjects, which include logic, cosmology, metaphysics, psychology, and medicine.2 In his philosophical writings, inter aUa, Ibn S'ina discusses the question of human perfection, the highest and the most ideal positicn a human being can attain to. Ibn S"ma elaborates on this question through his idea of the faculties of the soul, lM. Mahdi, "Avicenna: Introduction: Encyclopaedia lranica, edited by Ehsan Yarshater (London & New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1989), Vol. m, 66. 2Sayyed Hossein Nasr, Three Muslim Sages: Avicenna. Suhrawardi and Ibn 'Arabi (New York: Caravan Books, 1964),23. 1 • 2 dividing the soul into: the vegetative, the animal, and me rational.3 Through the faculties of the rational soul, human beings are able to attain to the various stages oÏ the intellect, viz. potential intellect, intellect in habitu, intellect in actu, and acquired intellect The highest position is marked by the attainment of the acquired intellect, which signifies that perfection is the highest form available for a human being to reach. Ibn Sïna speaks of the people who are able to attain to the highest level of perfection in the context of his discussion of prophethood and sufism'. This discussion will be the focus of my investigation. The study will primarily be based on the following three works of Ibn Sïna: [1] Ishiirüt wa al· Tanbfhiit, [2] Al-Najüt, and [3] Fazlur Rahman's edition of Avicenna's Psychology. This thesis is divided iilto three parts. The fll'st part will comprise a discussion of Ibn Sïna's life and his intellectual background. The second part discusses Ibn Sïna's concept of the human being: human existence, and the elements of a human being.
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