The Political Writings: "Selected Aphorisms" and Other Texts 9781501700323

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Alfarabi, The Political

Writings

AGORA EDITIONS Editor: Thomas L. Pangle Founding Editor: Allan Bloom Alfarabi, The Political Writings: "Selected Aphorisms" and Other Texts. Translated and annotated by Charles E. Butterworth Bolotin, David. Plato's Dialogue on Friendship: An Interpretation of the

"Lysis," with a New Translation. Kojeve, Alexandre. Introduction to the Reading of Hegel: Lectures on the "Phenomenology of Spirit." Assembled by Raymond Queneau. Edited by Allan Bloom. Translated by James H. Nichols Jr. Medieval Political Philosophy: A Sourcebook. Edited by Ralph Lerner and Muhsin Mahdi. Plato. Gorgias. Translated by James H. Nichols Jr. Plato. Phaedrus. Translated by James H. Nichols Jr. Plato. Gorgias and Phaedrus. Translated by James H. Nichols Jr. The Roots of Political Philosophy: Ten Forgotten Socratic Dialogues. Edited by T homas L. Pangle. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Politics and the Arts: Letter to M. D'Alembert on the Theatre. Translated by Allan Bloom.

ALFARABI

The Political Writings SELECTED APHORISMS and Other Texts

TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY

CHARLES E. BUTTERWORTH

Cornell University Press ITHACA AND L ONDON

Copyright © 2001 by Cornell University All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. First published 2001 by Cornell University Press

First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 2004 Printed in the United States of America LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-JN-PUBLICATION DATA

Farabi. [Selections. English 2001) .

Alfarabi, the political writings : Selected Aphorisms and other

texts I translated and annotated by Charles E. Butterworth. p. cm.- (Agora editions) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978 -0-8014-8913-6

(pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 0-8014-8913-X (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Philosophy, .Islamic-Early works to 1800. I. B utterworth, Charles E. III. Agora editions (Cornell University Press)

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Contents

Preface

ix

Selected Aphorisms 1

Enumeration of the Sciences 69

Book of Religion 85

The Harmonization of the Two Opinions of the Two Sages: Plato the Divine and Aristotle 115 Glossary

169 Index 177

Preface

Widely referred to as "the second teacher," that is, second after Aristotle, Abii Na!?r Mu}).ammad lbn Mul::ta mmad lbn Tarkhan lbn Awzalagh al­ FarabI (Alfarabi) is generally heralded as having founded political phi­ losophy within the Islamic cultural tradition. Born in about 870/2561 in the village of Farab in Turkestan, he resided in Bukhara, Marv, l:Iarran, Baghdad, and perhaps in Constantinople, as well as in Aleppo, Cairo, and finally Damascus, where he died in 950/339. The son of an army officer in the service of the Samanids, Alfarabi first studied Islamic jurisprudence and music in Bukhara, then moved to Marv, where he began to study logic with a Nestorian Christian monk, Yiil::ta nna Ibn Haylan. While in his early twenties, Alfarabi left for Baghdad, where he continued to study logic and philosophy with Ibn I:Iaylan. At the same time, he improved his grasp of Arabic by studying with the prominent philologist Ibn al-Sarraj and is said to have followed the courses of the famous Nestorian Christian translator and student of Aristotle, Matta lbn Yiinus. Around 905/293--ge-p.d.

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Alfarabi, The

Political Writings

ral body in which it resides, and it is as though it yearns for rest. When it returns to its essence, it is as though it were released from a painful prison, to [return to] its own sphere which resembles it and to which it is suited . In this manner, all the other symbols we have not mentioned ought to be measured. [21b] The refinement and subtlety of those ideas prevent them from being expressed in a manner other than that used by the sage Plato and those who pursue his approach. 74. The intellect, as the sage Aristotle has explained in his books about

the soul, and similarly Alexander of Aphrodisias and other philosophers, is the most venerable part of the soul. Indeed, it comes into actuality only in the end.98 By it, divine matters are known, and one becomes cognizant of the Creator, may His majesty be magnified. It is as though it were the closest being to Him in venerability, sublimity, and purity, but not in loca­ tion. Then the soul follows it, because it is like an intermediary between the intellect and nature, for it possesses natural senses. Thus it is as though it were united at one end with the intellect, which is united with the Creator according to the approach we have mentioned, and at the other end with nature, which follows it in density but not in location. 75 . It is according to this approach or according to what is similar, which is difficult to describe in speech, that what Plato says in his statements ought to be known. Indeed, whenever they are taken in this fashion, all doubts and presumptions leading to the statement that there is a differ­ ence between him and Aristotle regarding these ideas will disappear. Do you not see that whenever Aristotle wants to explain a certain condition of the soul, the intellect, or Lordship, he becomes circumspect and scrupu­ lous in his speech, which he sets out in the form of riddles and similes? That is in his book known as the Theology, where he says: Sometimes I am alone with my soul a great deal and I cast off my body and become like an abstract, incorporeal substance. I enter my essence, return to it, [22a] and detach myself from all other things. I am at one and the same time knowledge, the knower, and the known. I see beauty and splen­ dor in my essence such as to bewilder me with amazement. At that moment, I know that I am a minor part of the venerable world and that by

gB. The text is very obscure here: wa annah innama ya�fr bi-al-fi'l bi-llkhirih. See, how­ ever, De Anima, 3.4.429aio-43oa9, esp. 42�22-24, for an indication of the basic issue.

The Harmonization

1 65

my life I am active. When I am sure of this, I let my mind99 ascend from that world to the divine cause100 and become as though I were joined to it. Thereupon, light and splendor such that tongues are too dull to describe and ears to hear radiate to me. When I am immersed in that light, reach my limit, and can no longer bear it,

I descend to the world of calculation.

When I arrive in the world of calculation, calculation conceals that light from me, and at that moment I remember my brother Heraclitus when he commanded seeking and inquiring into the substance of the venerable soul by climbing up to the world of intellect.101

This is in a long discussion of his in which, struggling, he wants to explain these sublime meanings, but physical incapacity prevents him from perceiving what surrounds him. 76. Anyone who would like to grasp a little of what he has pointed out­ since much of it is difficult and remote--may observe in his own mind what we have mentioned and not chase after utterances in a completely slavish manner. Perhaps he will perceive some of what is intended by those symbols and riddles. They [sc., those who claim that there is a dif­ ference between Plato and Aristotle] have exaggerated and struggled; so have those who have come after them in this day of ours and whose intent is not truth but whose objective is prejudice and seeking for faults. They have distorted and altered insistently.102 Even we--despite great effort, toil, and our complete intention to uncover and elucidate--know that we have attained a very slight amount of what is required, [22b] because in itself the matter is inaccessible. [CHAPTER THIRTEEN: RECOMPENSE FOR GOOD AND EVIL ACTIONS ]

77. Among what it is presumed the two sages Plato and Aristotle hold no opinion about nor believe in is recompense for good and evil actions. 99. Reading dhihnf, with the Diyarbekir and Princeton Garrett manuscripts; all the other manuscripts read dhiltr ("my essence"). 100. Reading al-'ilia, with the Diyarbekir and Princeton Garrett manuscripts; all the other manuscripts read al-'alam ("the world" ). 101. See Uthulujrya Aristatalrs, 22:2-1 1 and 23 : 1-2. 102. Reading wa lam ya'dharu, with the Diyarbekir manuscript; the other manuscripts have wa lam yaqdiru ("without success").

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Alfarabi, The Political Writings

78. Yet Aristotle explicitly declares in speech that recompense is neces­

sary by nature. In a letter he wrote to the mother of Alexander [the Great] when the news of his death reached her, and she grieved for him and was resolved to immolate herself, he says: God 's witnesses on earth-that is, the knowing souls-have all agreed that Alexander the Great is one of the most excellent of the outstanding men of the past. Praiseworthy monuments have been established for him in the central places of the earth and in the extremities of human habitation from East to West. God will surely not bestow upon anyone what He has bestowed upon Alexander the Great except on the basis of preference and choice-and the good human being is the one God has chosen! In some, the signs of having been chosen are manifest; in others, they are concealed. Among those past and present, Alexander the Great is the most well­ known for [these] signs: he has the finest reputation, his life is the most praised, and his death is the most flawless. Oh Mother of Alexander, if you are concerned about the great Alexander, out of love for him, do not take on what will distance you from him and do not bring on yourself what will stand between you and him when you meet in the company of the good; strive for what will bring you closer to him-most importantly, take upon your immaculate self the responsibility of making offerings in the temple of Zeus.

Thus, this and what follows in his discourse are a clear sign [23a] that he believed in the necessity of recompense. 79. And Plato has consigned to the end of the Republic the tale articulat­ ing the resurrection, standing forth, judgment, justice, scales, and the dis­ pensing of reward and punishment for good and evil deeds.103

[CONCLUSION]

Bo. So, whoever reflects on the statements of these two sages that we have mentioned and then does not swerve to sheer contentiousness will be spared pursuing corrupt presumptions and disordered conjectures and 103. The tale in question is the Myth of Er set down at the very end of the Republic, 10.614a-621d.

The Ha rmonization

1 67

acquiring the burden of attributing to these virtuous men what they are innocent of and exempt from. 8 1 . With this discussion, we conclude our statement about the harmo­ nization between the two opinions of the two sages, Plato and Aristotle, that we wanted to explain. Praise be to God alone.

Glossary

( A R A B I C-E N G L I S H ) ALIF ithar akhfr muta'akhkhir i'tilaf ta'ammala anniyya (also inniyya) ista'hala bukhl bada'a badhab tabdhfr bara'a bfl$llr batala bigh4a balagha bala bi

BA'

THA' preference final last concord to reflect thatness to deserve

affluence reward

tharwa thawab JIM

cowardice deception outrage requital

jubn jarbadha jarfra jaza'

apprehen-

jaza•

greed to innovate haughtiness wastefulness to create vision to nullify hatred to obtain to keep in mind

TA ' tabi'a tala

(ARA B I C-E N G L I S H )

to succeed to follow

siveness majesty aggregate noble public avoidance struggle

jalala majmu' jamil jumhilr tajannub jihad HA' mal)abba badatha bir� inbiraf basan inba�ara

love to generate covetousness deviation fine to be restricted

1 70

Glossary

( A R A B I C-E N G L I S H ) H A , (con t . )

ha�ala

to attain, reach to be heedful wisdom stupidity sophistication to master modesty

tahaf!a?a hikma humq hunka haza baya' KH A ,

khibb khubth mukhatala khasfs khiliif ikhtiliif khulq khilw min khawf kha ir

fraudulence deceitfulness wiliness vile difference disagreement moral habit devoid of fear good

takhayyul

evocation imagination

imaginative

takhyfl

DAL

governor cunning

mudabbir dahii' DHAL

quickwittedness absentmind edness discernment, mind

dhakii' dhahl dhihn RA '

rutba martaba rah ma

rank ranking compassion

( A R A B I C- E N G L I S H )

rakhawa radI radhfla taraffuh riqqat al-nafs

slackness bad vice luxury delicateness of soul to content contentedness volition synthesis, combination deliberation

raif,a riif,an irada tarkw rawiyya ZAY

zawal

extinction

SIN sabfl sakhii' sakhita saddada nabwa

sa 'ii maskan salaka salfm sii'

approach liberality to annoy to aim, direct toward to strive dwelling to pursue unimpaired wicked

SHIN

shaja'a shadda sharr shart sharrf ishtirak al-ism sharah sha'ara bi shaqii' shakl shahwa ishtaha Ii

courage to harden, make.firm evil stipulation venerable homonymity avidity to be attentive misery shape desire to yearn for

Glossary

( A R A B I C -E N G L I S H ) ashara bi tashawwaqa shawq

to advise to long for longing �AD

$abl1}

sound, healthy to hinder art correct form

$adda 'an $ina'a $awab $Ura J? A D

4abit li-nafsih 4idd 4arb tab', tabra tarrq talab fami'a

self-restrained contrary type TA '

atafa bi +arf

?A '

nature method seeking to become ambitious to encompass wittiness

AYN isti'dad 'udda 'adala i'tadal i'tidal 'adam 'adam al-ibsas bi-al-ladhdha 'ara4 'iffa 'aql

disposition reserve justice to equilibrate, balance equilibrium, balance privation insensibility to pleasure accident (of the soul) moderation intellect

171

( A R A B I C -E N G L I S H ) custom to feel disgust recompense impediment to have recourse to

'ada 'afa 'iwa4 'a'iq ista'ana bi G HAYN

to admire purpose usurpation anger distress simple person goal jealousy fury

ghabata ghara4 gha$b gha4ab ghamm ghamr ghaya ghaira ghai+ FA '

fab wa farraqa fazi'a tafasud fa$l fatara

tenor to differentiate to frighten enmity differentia to ·endow action in actuality to require calculation understanding disparity to provide to procure to achieve

fi'l

bi-al-fi'l iftaqara ila fikr fahm tafawut afada istafada Jaza bi QAF

qabi1;i iqtabasa muqabil taqtrr iqdam

base to secure opposite stinginess boldness

1 72

Glossary

( A R A B I C- E NG L I S H ) Q A F (con t . ) harshness intention to be limited, limit oneself iqtanii to acquire quwwa faculty, power bi-al-quwwa potentially qayyim bi-al-niimus custodian of the law

qaswa qafid iqtafiara

KAF

toil loathing to earn cleverness

kadd kariiha iktasaba kais

( A RA B I C- E N G L I S H )

manzal manzila ansha'a naqfi niila

household station to originate defect to gain HA '

hadaf harab inhaqa himma tahawwur istihiina hawan hai'a hayala

end fleeing to inspire endeavor rashness contempt passion trait primordial matter

LAM

to search

iltamasa MIM majun madda madfna insiin madanf

mizaj makr malaka (pl. malakat) mayyaza

WAW

aW$ii bi tawaqu' impudence

wa�ba 'ala

matter city citizen temperament trickery state of character to distinguish

waffara waqal;za qil;zl;za waqa'a'ala waqafa'ala tawalla waif awma'a ilii

aim arrogance

yasar yasfr

YA '

NUN

manl;zan nakhwa

to counsel respectfulness to persist in to augment insolence impertinence to apply to to grasp to help helper to point out

wealth slight, trifling

ENGLISH-ARABIC

( E N G L I SH-ARA B I C )

( E N G L I S H-ARA B I C )

dhahl 'ara4 ft.za bi iqtana fi'l bi-al-Ji'l ghabata ashara bi tharwa majmu• manb an saddada nabwa tami'a gha4ab sakh#a waqa'a 'ala jaza' sabil nakhwa 11ina•a ha$ala sha'ara bi

custom

i'tilaf istihana ra4a ri4an 4idd $QWlib aW$Q bi shaja'a hir$ jubn daha' bara'a qayyim bi-alnamiis 'ada

deceitfulness defect deliberation delicateness of soul desire to deserve deviation

khubth naq$ rawiyya riqqat al-nafs shahwa ista'hala inbraf

audacity

iqdi'lm

devoid of

to augment avidity avoidance

waffara sharah tajannub

khilw min khilaf

bad base boldness

rad I qabib iqdi'lm

calculation state of character

fikr malaka (pl. malakat) madrna insan madanr kais ra}}ma

difference differentia to differentiate disagreement discernment, mind to feel disgust disparity disposition to distinguish distress dwelling

fa$1 farraqa ikhtilaf dhihn 'afa tafowut isti'dad mayyaza ghamm maskan

to earn to encompass end endeavor

iktasaba aifa bi hadaf him ma

absentmindedness accident (of the soul) to achieve to acquire action in actuality to admire to advise affluence aggregate aim to aim, direct toward to become ambitious anger to annoy to apply to apprehensiveness approach arrogance art to attain, reach to be attentive

city citizen cleverness compassion

concord contempt to content contentedness contrary correct to counsel courage covetousness cowardice cunning to create custodian of the law

1 74

Glossary

( E N G L I S H-ARA B I C )

fafara to endow enmity tajsud to equilibrate, balance i'tadal i'tidlil equilibrium, balance sharr evil zawiil extinction faculty, power potentially fear final fine fleeing to follow form fraudulence to frighten fury

quwwa bi-al-quwwa khawf akhir hasan harab talii fiUra khibb fazi'a ghai+

to gain to generate goal

nlila hadatha ghaya khair mudabbir waqafa 'ala bukhl

good

governor to grasp greed

shadda qaswa bigh4a badhalJ tahaffa+a tawallii

to harden, make firm harshness hatred haughtiness to be heedful to help helper to hinder homonymity household

fiadda 'an ishtirltk al-ism manzal

imagination imaginative evocation impediment impertinence impudence

takhayyul takhyil 'a'iq qilJIJa majun

waif

( E N G L I S H-ARA B I C )

to innovate insensibility to pleasure insolence to inspire intellect intention

bada'a 'adam al-ihsiis bi-al-ladhdha waqaha inhaqli 'aql qafid

jealousy justice

ghaira 'adiila

to keep in mind

biila bi

last level liberality to be limited, limit oneself loathing to long for longing love luxury

muta'akhkhir manzila sakha' iqta[iara karaha tashawwaqa shawq mahabba taraffuh

majesty to master matter primordial matter misery method moderation modesty moral habit

jaliila

nature noble to nullify

tab', fabi'a jamil bafala

to obtain opposite to originate outrage

balagha muqiibil ansha'a jarfra

/:Uiza

miidda hayUlii shaqll.' farfq 'iffa hayii' khulq

Glossary

( A R A B I C-EN G L I S H )

passion to persist in to point out power, faculty potentially preference privation to procure to provide public purpose to pursue

hawan wa�ba 'ala awma'a ila quwwa bi-al-quwwa rthar 'adam istafoda afoda jumhur ghara4 salaka

quick-wittedness

dhaka'

rank ranking rashness reception recompense to have recourse to to reflect to require requital reserve respectfulness to be restricted reward

rutba martaba tahawwur jarbadha 'iwa4 ista'ana bi ta'ammala iftaqara ila jazli' 'udda tawa4u'

to search to secure seeking self-restrained shape simple person slackness slight, trifling

iltamasa iqtabasa talab dab# li-nafsih shakl ghamr rakhawa yasfr

inlJ,af?ara

thawab

175

( A R A B I C-ENG L I S H )

sophistication sound, healthy stinginess stipulation to strive struggle stupidity to succeed synthesis, combination

l;iunka ?al:ifl:i taqtfr shart sa'a jihad l;iumq tabi'a tarkib

temperament tenor thatness toil trait trickery type

mizaj fal;iwa anniyya (also inniyya) kadd hai'a makr 4arb

understanding unimpaired usurpation

fahm salfm gha$b

venerable vice vile vision volition wastefulness wealth wicked wiliness wisdom wittiness

sharrf radhila khasrs baf?ar irada tabdhfr yasar su' mukhatala l;iikma ?arf

to yearn for

ishtaha Ii

Index

Ackrill, J. L., 142 al-'Ajam, Rafiq, 154 Alexander (the Great),

122, 129, 13 1-132,

167

Alfarabi, ix-xiii, 71-75, 77, 83, 87-93, 96-97, 100, 1 o8, 1 1 1, 1 1 9-124, 130-131 Attainment of Happiness, x, 1 19 Book of Religion (Kitiib al-Milla), xi, xii, 87-89, 96, 1 1 9

Book of the Syllogism (Kitiib al-Qiyiis), 1 32, 139 Commentary and Short Treatise on Aristotle's De Interpretatione,

art,

141-142

Harmonization of the Two Opinions of the Two Sages, Plato the Divine and Aristotle, xi, xiii Large Book on Music, x Long Commentary on Aristotle's De Interpretatione, 141 Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, x, 120, 130

Political Regime (Kitiib al-Siyiisa alMadaniyya), 1 1 1 Alonso, Alonso Manuel, 1 17 Amin, 'Uthman, 79, 8 1-82 Ammonius, 137, 157 Ancients, 7, 22, 29, 103, 1o6, 1 19, 129 Aouad, Maroun, 155 Arberry, A. J ., 133 Aristotle, x-xii, 7, 9, 25, 55, 79, 96, 1 1 9-127, 129-145, 14 7- 148, 150- 154, 1 5 6-157, 159-162, 1 64-1 68

Categories, 1 34,

142, 145, 147

De Anima, 1 5 3, 164 Metaphysics, 1 26, 136, 156, 1 6o Nicomachean Ethics, 142, 14 7-149 On Interpretation, 141 On the Heavens, 140, 144, 154-155, 162 Physics, 1 3 5, 155-156 Politics, 131 Posterior Analytics, 136, 139, 150-153 Prior Analytics, 132, 136, 138, 139-140 Theology of Aristotle, 1 22, 15 5- 15 6, 1 6 1 , 164 Topics, 132, 136, 154

58-61, Bo, 99, 100-- 1 01, 103 , 105 -108,

126-7, 132, 134-135, 138 Averroes, 1 3 6, 139-140 Averroes: Tafsir Mii Ba'd al-Tabf'a (Large Commentary on the Metaphysics), 136 BadawI, 'Abd al-Ral:iman, 133, 142, 1 5 5- 1 5 6 Baghdad, xi belief, 76, 90, 1 00, 126-127, 138, 141-142, 1 46, 1 54 Berman, Lawrence V., 87 Bielawski, Jozef, 132 Lettre d'Aristote ii Alexandre sur la politique envers les cites, 132 body politic, 8, 1 1-13 Bouyg es, Maurice, 136 Cairo, 87, 1 1 7, 139, i42, 148, 155 citizen, 77-78, 95, 98, 1 20-121

177

Index

1 78 city

ignorant, 5 1 , 103-104 virtuous, 4,

king depraved, 95-