Ibn Khaldun and Political Theory - Essay Example

Ibn Khaldun and political theory Introduction Ibn Khaldun is a Tunisian histographer known to be the greatest philosopher of the time He was deeply rooted in Islam religion and versed in Arabic literature, theology, philosophy amongst others He wrote the book of Maqaddimah. This book gained his fame as the best Muslim philosopher ever seen. The book of Magaddimah had theories that were used by historians like Mustapha Naima in analyzing the fall of the Ottoman Empire Citing the Magaddimah. In this essay, we are going to analyze all Ibn Khaldun theories in the science of history. Ibn Khaldun devoted much of his time on dreams and divination. he judged Alchemy as a cheap and extorting kind of sorcery. He claimed it was not a natural way to earn a living because most of the Alchemists were tricksters. In the Quran where Moses had to confront Egyptian sorcerers again divine names for magical purposes were wicked and blasphemous. Ibn Khaldun behaved hostile and suspicious when it came to the issue of occult techniques that predicted the future. He was hostile when he insisted that the only one who knows the future is God, this made people to suspect his philosophy ‘he stepped back to say that ‘the knowledge of the future is kept for the divinely guided prophets or certain individuals chosen by God’. His discussion was further brought to prophetic revelation, Sufi meditation, numerology, astronomy and Zai rajah (; Muqaddimah, 3:50–82) However, Ibn Khaldun views on prophecy are clear, unlike those of certain of his predecessors in Muslim philosophy, in particular, Alfarabi. As an experimental philosopher, he was paying attention in the holy experiments of the Prophet Mohammed, which means he cannot have seen history as having any end. If the reality of God is regarded as a supreme fact and His prophets and their spiritual experiments as testimony of this fact, then the statement that in history the past is just like the future must mean it consists of a continuous series of events not stopping with any nation, but continuing in cycles. Ibn Khaldun distinguished between false and true prophesies by showing unique signs that are somehow abnormal and spiritual. Example, a spirited person, can move into a stance, sometimes he looks like he is swooning or become unconscious. These signs show that the said person may be conversing with a supernatural being (Muqaddimah, 70). False prophets frequently used initials or gibberish assemblages of consonants to make out, or conceal the identity of things or people like the Timur and Barquq case. When asked about prophesy, Prophet Muhammad attested that at times revelation comes to him like bells ringing, sometimes when angel appears he retains the things said to him with strain and chocking This study of fortune tellers by Ibn Khaldun has enacted civilization mostly in the ancient ruins of North Africa. One can attest that there are monuments, architectural sculpture, and the evident remains of villages and hamlets and predictions by following phases of the moon. The ruins of the abandoned cities of Yemen, Iraq, and Syria similarly testified to the decay of the world. ( Muqaddimah, 44. ) Arab has long exhausted itself with the exhaustion of Berbers the destruction of the Maghrib civilization came. A man is distinguished from other animals by attributes that are not same as him. Amongst them are; the science of art produced by the ability to reflect. This distinguishes men from other animals and exalts him above all other creations. Man has the ability to think and reason unlike animals, the disposition to think exist in all humans though in different degrees from each other (Muqaddimah, 91) The other thing is the need to govern or have authority; of all animals’ man in his nature cannot exist without authority when compared to animals. Even if other animals try to do it, it is by instinct but not from reflection and consideration. Man is supplied with means of how to maintain or sustain himself like the labor industry, as much as God has made sustenance essential to him for the safeguarding of his life by giving direction on how to seek and search for answers.” He gave unto all things their nature: then He directed” Man is distinguished from other animals by being able to adopt civilization; either residential or nomadic, settling down in built shelters and satisfies themselves with intercourse. for the safety behind the walls. all available circumstances there is a phenomenon that bare characteristics that relate to the social state. In the case of animals like ants, though they live in a group, their independence and preference in sexual activities and interactions differ from humans. The higher stage is explained to be of species of numerous and gradual process in the creation which, in the long run, produces mankind who is able to think as well as reflect. The world of monkey stands out to be the highest where perception is found, and real reflection and thinking is at play. The living things on earth then increase and their kind is increasing in number too, this steady process of creation results in making of mankind his mind different from other animals in terms of thinking capacity. Man is similar to monkeys in so many ways especially in the way they think; that’s why we say, during the creation, man came after the monkeys. To give a clear explanation of why man’s society is united, Ibn Khaldun took the Muslim philosophy that was already in existence and was unanimously acknowledged. As he tells us, the observation had created a religious misunderstanding especially where prophesy is a necessity. However, it is how a man’s mind operates that Ibn Khaldun comprehended and secularized why this cynical theory is applicable in depth. With God’s given ability to have a sharp mid, man is recognized as the apex of the ascending order of the world starting with minerals, flora, and fauna. In a fundamental way, man is an animal and in reality if a man is left with his animalistic instincts, he can be a man-eater. He found out that this assumption was explained further by Avicenna, in a full edition in Kitab ash Shift and also reduced edition in Kitab an-Najdh. In thirteenth century, a titled explanation was made by a writer called ash-Shahrazuri which appeared compiled in big philo­sophical encyclopedia. In all prospects, Ash-Shahrazuri’s work was never known to Ibn Khaldun, but because their proclamations are spiritually similar, it is important to quote here. In Avicennas works, the theory of the genesis socially organized human being is given in the form of a building to confirm that prophecy exists. Only one man cannot achieve everything in his life by himself without the help from fellow man. A man has necessities like foodstuffs, outfits, a roof over his head and armory for his own, his family, and dependent relatives’ protection. Everything mentioned here technically matters and to become skilled at them; a man needs to do it by himself. He would need more time as he lives devoid of these things. This will be if we suppose that he will somehow be able to do without them without any difficulty. He would not be able to acquire academic excellence which mostly is the aim of every human. With this, every human being has a role to play in their lives, and if each of them plays his own part they benefit from each other and animals surrounding them. This common organization is called by sages “urbanization" (tamaddun, from Greek poliz, town). It is said and understood that man is political by creation and that he needs this type of organization in his existence and provision of his living. This is also to better his state of affairs on earth and perfect his soul for life after death. Conclusion From this essay, I deduce that Ibn Khaldun is one of the great thinkers whose thoughts have created a good impact in our modern society. His work in the book, Muqaddimah is a landmark of social thought. It introduces us to a much longer history of Arabs and Berbers. He has played an important part in religion mostly Islam ,The sophistication of Islamic historical thought was vividly illustrated by the Muqaddimah This introductory volume of worldwide history reveals Khaldūn’s thoughts about history—something chroniclers have never don Work cited Ibn, Khaldūn, Franz Rosenthal, and N J. Dawood. The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 1969. Print. Read More