Bonn: Bonn University Press / V&R unipress, 2018. xvi + 501 pp. (Mamluk Studies, 20).
Reviewer: Padli Fawaid Yahya. (lecturer at Institut Agama Islam al-Manan NU Lombok Timur)
This edited volume makes a significant contribution to the contemporary study of Islamic intellectual history by challenging long-standing narratives about the supposed decline of philosophy after al-Ghazālī and Ibn Rushd. Bringing together thirteen substantial essays by leading scholars, Islamic Philosophy from the 12th to the 14th Century offers a rich, methodologically sophisticated reassessment of philosophical activity in the post-Avicennian period, particularly in its interaction with kalām, theology, and broader intellectual currents.
This book originates from an international conference held in Bonn in 2016 and is framed by Abdelkader Al Ghouz’s incisive introduction. Al Ghouz situates the book against the backdrop of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century historiography—associated with figures such as Ernest Renan and Salomon Munk—which portrayed Islamic philosophy as effectively extinguished after the critiques of al-Ghazālī. In contrast, the editor and contributors argue that the period from the twelfth to the fourteenth century represents not a decline, but a complex phase of transformation, consolidation, and creative engagement, especially under the profound influence of Avicenna’s philosophical legacy.
One of the volume’s major strengths lies in its thematic and methodological diversity. The essays are organized into six thematic sections that together illustrate how philosophy continued to function as a living intellectual practice within Islamic societies. Rather than isolating falsafa from theology, law, or mysticism, the contributors emphasize the permeability of disciplinary boundaries and the ways in which philosophical reasoning was integrated into kalām, Qurʾanic exegesis, and debates on metaphysics, epistemology, and natural philosophy.
The opening section, “Historical and Social Approaches to Philosophy,” sets the tone by contextualizing philosophical production within its social and political environments. Dimitri Gutas’s essay on “paraphilosophy” is particularly influential, proposing a history-of-science approach to post-Avicennian thought. Gutas argues that philosophy after Avicenna was not merely repetitive commentary but involved systematic engagement with scientific and philosophical questions, often shaped by institutional and ideological pressures. Maribel Fierro’s study of Ibn Rushd’s relationship with the Almohads further demonstrates how political contexts affected philosophical careers and reputations.
Subsequent sections explore a wide range of substantive philosophical problems. Essays on prophecy, dreams, creation, divine eternity, and the human soul reveal the depth of post-Avicennian debates and the extent to which later thinkers critically appropriated Avicenna’s ideas. Particularly noteworthy are the contributions on Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, Ibn Taymiyya, and Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī, which show how these figures simultaneously criticized and depended upon Avicennian frameworks. The volume thus dismantles simplistic binaries between “philosophers” and “theologians,” replacing them with a more nuanced picture of intellectual negotiation and synthesis.
The sections on universals, logic, and intellect highlight the technical sophistication of medieval Islamic philosophy. Essays by Fedor Benevich and Yuki Nakanishi, for instance, demonstrate that debates on universals and existence were far from settled matters and continued to generate innovative positions well into the late medieval period. These contributions underscore the importance of post-Avicennian philosophy for understanding the development of later Islamic metaphysics and epistemology, including currents that would influence Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal intellectual traditions.
Another notable feature of the volume is its attention to figures and texts that remain understudied in mainstream histories of philosophy. By including detailed analyses of scholars such as al-Shahrastānī, Baba Afḍal al-Dīn Kāshānī, and later Ḥanbalī theologians, the book broadens the canon and invites further research beyond the usual focus on a small number of well-known philosophers. The essays on anthropomorphism and incorporealism, in particular, illuminate the philosophical dimensions of theological debates often treated solely as doctrinal disputes.
Regardless of its focus on the medieval Islamic period—a field that still requires extensive exploration—, this book invites a critical note. In particular, the thematic classification or chapter titles, in my view, at times appear somewhat forced, giving the impression that certain contributions were adjusted to fit predefined chapters. Nevertheless, the volume can be appreciated by engaging directly with the arguments of each contributor, as it is clear that the authors bring their own distinct perspectives and intellectual orientations.
From a critical perspective, the volume’s density and technicality may pose challenges for non-specialist readers. Many chapters presuppose familiarity with Aristotelian and Avicennian terminology, as well as with the internal debates of kalām and falsafa. However, this should be seen less as a weakness than as an indication of the book’s intended audience: advanced students and scholars of Islamic philosophy, theology, and intellectual history. For this readership, the detailed textual analyses and careful historiographical positioning are major assets.
In sum, Islamic Philosophy from the 12th to the 14th Century is an important and timely intervention in the study of medieval Islamic thought. It convincingly demonstrates that the post-Avicennian period was marked not by philosophical stagnation, but by sustained and creative engagement with inherited traditions. By situating philosophy within its social, theological, and scientific contexts, the volume reshapes our understanding of what Islamic philosophy was—and continued to be—during the medieval period. It will remain an indispensable reference for future research on the history of Islamic philosophy and its enduring intellectual legacy.