PRIMARY SOURCES
Alfā Simb, Aḥmad Ibn Scribe, and Muḥammad Ibn Muḥammad Ibn Muḥammad Author Miṣrī. The Goal of Seekers, a Commentary on the Work “The Mother of Proofs”. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1712]
Bughyat al-Tālibīn li-mā Taḍammanatuhu Umm al-Barāhīn (The goal of seekers, a commentary on the work “The mother of proofs”) concentrates on the doctrine of the existence of God and God’s single and unique nature. The writer, Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Miṣrī, explains the meaning of the terms referring to the intimate knowledge of God, as well as belief in God, his angels, and his prophets. (LINK)
Tāl, ʻUmar Ibn SaʻĪd, Author. The Spears of the Party of the Merciful against the Throats of the Party of the Reviled. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1858]
Sufis (mystics) form an important element in Islamic society, and al-Hājj ‘Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Tal (1797-1864) provides in this work an explanation of their mystical doctrine and practice. He also discusses recognizing pious and holy mystics as saints and the value of their intercession on behalf of believers. The text stresses the practice of the Tijaniyyah order. Displayed is a diagram explaining the religious life of the mystics, which revolves around the teaching of their master. (LINK)
Al-Din Ali Ibn Al-Amdi, Sayf Contributor. A Summary Explanation of the Pronouncements of the Scholars and Theologians. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1799, 1500]
In this work, the author examines theologians’ and scholars’ approaches to various issues in Islamic law and society and offers an explanation of the pronouncements of these learned individuals. (LINK)
Al-Mukhtār Ibn Aḥmad Ibn Abī Bakr Al-Kuntī Al-Kabīr, Sayyid Author, and Muḥammad Bāb Al-Rashīd Ibn Muḥammad Al-Muṣṭafá Ibn Muḥammad Al-Bashīr Scribe Sūqī. The Rewards of the Enlightened for their Defense of the Status of God’s Chosen Saints.
This text explains the basic principles of Sufism, pointing out the various stages of knowledge that Sufi mystics pass through as their knowledge of God increases through their strict application of devotional discipline. Al-Mukhtār ibn Aḥmad ibn Abī Bakr al-Kuntī al-Kabīr, who died in 1811, further discusses the relationship between belief, Sufi doctrine, and knowledge of God. (LINK)
Ibn Rushd. “Ibn Rushd (Averroës), 1126-1198 CE: Religion & Philosophy, c. 1190 CE.” Fordham University Medieval Sourcebook. [Section from Kitab fasl al-maqal/ On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy].
(LINK)
Guiding Questions:
- What, according to Ibn Rushd, is the purpose of philosophy? What is his stance on learning from ancient scholars?
- What, according to Ibn Rushd, is the relationship between reason, knowledge, and religious devotion?
Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid. Kitab al-‘Ilm [The Book of Knowledge]. Trans. Nabih Amin Faris. Lahore: Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, 1962. Read Section 1, Part 3 “Evidence [for the excellent of knowledge] from reason.”
(LINK)
Guiding Questions:
- The text mentions three categories of sought-after objects: those sought as a means to an end, those sought for their own intrinsic value, and those sought for both. Where does knowledge fall in this categorization? Do you agree with this assessment?
- The passage discusses the hierarchy of human activities, categorizing them into fundamental, auxiliary, and supplementary activities. How does the author link these activities to the order of the world, and why does he assert that politics, specifically in the pursuit of reform, holds a central and high position among these activities? Do you find this argument convincing?
Note: overview of full text available here: https://www.ghazali.org/rrs-ovr/
Berjak, Rafik and Muzaffar Iqbal (trans). “Ibn Sina- Al-Biruni Correspondence.” Islam & Science 1.1 (2005).
Guiding Questions:
- How do contemporary postmodernist and quasi-postmodernist perspectives influence the examination of the relationship between Islam and the scientific tradition in Islamic civilization? What kind of essentializing of Islamic science do these perspectives engage in?
- In what ways does the contemporary notion of Islamic science diverge from the historical evidence, including the inheritance, contributions, and innovations made within Islamic scientific tradition until the 15th century?
(LINK)
The Alchemy of Happiness, by Mohammed Al-Ghazzali, the Mohammedan Philosopher, trans. Henry A. Homes (Albany, N.Y.: Munsell, 1873). Transactions of the Albany Institute, vol. VIII.
Al Ghazali attempted to reconcile the Muslim faith with Aristotelian logic in this work on simple piety. (LINK)
Some Religious and Moral Teachings of Al-Ghazzali (Baroda: Lakshmi Vilas P. Press Co., 1921).
A selection of passages taken from Ghazzali’s longer works. (LINK)
The Philosophy and Theology of Averroes. Tractacta, translated from the Arabic by Mohammad Jamil-Ub-Behman Barod (Baroda: Manibhai Mathurbhal Gupta, 1921).
A collection of Averroes’ shorter works on religion, including the relation between religion and philosophy, the nature of eternal knowledge, and methods of argument and faith. (LINK)
Book of the Blessed Merits of Crafts and Agriculture. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified]
The social benefits of trades, crafts, and agricultural pursuits are discussed in this book. The anonymous author describes the contributions to society of various vocations and expresses the fundamental dignity that individuals acquire by working in socially useful jobs. (LINK)
Ziyati, A. I. Y. I. Y. I. M. A. (1768) Explanation of “The Prosodies” of Abi Abdullah Muhammad al-Arabi. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified]
This work explains how to live a life of charity. Charity refers to not only generosity toward one’s fellow human beings, but how to live a life of respect for the natural environment. (LINK)
Islamic Heritage Project. 2002. Harvard University Library.
A digital collection of Islamic manuscripts, published texts, and maps from across Harvard’s libraries and museums.
(LINK)
Tumbukti, Ahmad Baba Ibn Ahmad Ibn Umar Ibn Muhammad Aqit Author. The Ladder of Ascent in Obtaining the Procurements of the Sudan: Ahmad Baba Answers a Moroccan’s Questions about Slavery. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1615]
Ahmad Baba ibn Ahmad ibn Umar ibn Muhammad Aqit al-Tumbukti discusses slavery as it existed in West Africa during the seventeenth century. The examination of the subject in Mi’rāj al-Ṣu’ūd ilá nayl Majlūb al-Sūdān (The ladder of ascent in obtaining the procurements of the Sudan: Ahmad Baba answers a Moroccan’s questions about slavery) is based on Islamic law and it is noted that the fundamental and original nature of humanity is that individuals are free. They may be enslaved only under certain very specific conditions governed by Islamic law. (LINK)
Book of the Blessed Merits of Crafts and Agriculture. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1900, 1500]
The social benefits of trades, crafts, and agricultural pursuits are discussed in this book. The anonymous author describes the contributions to society of various vocations and expresses the fundamental dignity that individuals acquire by working in socially useful jobs. (LINK)
Commercial Agreement Gold as Currency. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1900, 1500]
This commercial agreement concerns commerce in several cities. The agreement contains interesting references to the cost of building houses in the city of Massinah (present-day Macina). Gold is used as the standard of value in all transactions, which include the buying and selling of slaves, gold bullion, and Acacia senegal (gum arabic). (LINK)
Certificate of Emancipation for Female Slave. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1726]
“‘Itq Raqīqah” (Certificate of emancipation for female slave) gives a detailed physical description of a woman who is being granted her freedom by her owner. The document is drawn up in the manner prescribed by Islamic law. (LINK)
Baba Ibn Ahmad Al-Alawi Al-Maliki Al-Maghribi Al-Shingiti Author. The Desire of the Aspirant. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1900, 1780]
In Munyat al-murīd (The desire of the aspirant), Baba ibn Ahmad al-Alawi al-Maliki al-Maghribi al-Shingiti presents an explanation of the lives and activities of the Sufi Tijānī order. The Tijāniyyah originated in North Africa in the 1780s and was soon established in West Africa. Here the author stresses the importance of individuals and groups within society paying attention to avoiding violence. (LINK)
Sulaymān Ibn Aḥmad Author. Explanation of the Work of al-Ghazali and Nuh ibn al-Tahir al-Fulani. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, 1800]
This work by Sulayman ibn Ahmad comments on the work of the famous scholar al-Ghazali and discusses a commentary on Ghazali’s work by Nuh ibn al-Tahir al-Fulani, a well-known scholar from Timbuktu. (LINK)
Sayyid Ahmad Ibn Amar Al-Raqadi Al-Tumbukti Al-Kunti, 17Th Century Author. Curing Diseases and Defects Both Apparent and Hidden. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1799, 1700]
This compilation of cures (date unknown) instructs the reader about methods of diagnosing and medicating the sick. The author explains the use of animal, plant, and mineral substances as medications. The work also includes prayers and Koranic verses that are helpful against illness. Displayed are instructions for writing prayers, helpful to the sick, for use in amulets. (LINK)
Explanations of Problems in Arithmetic with Examples. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1799, 1700]
This commentary by the 18th-century scholar al-Rasmuki explains a work by the medieval mathematician al-Samlali. Using charts and examples of problems, the commentator demonstrates the rules of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. He also discusses the history and development of mathematics. The text was used extensively by students in Timbuktu and throughout North Africa. (LINK)
Knowledge of the Movement of the Stars and What It Portends in Every Year. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1899, 1200]
This collection of writings (date unknown) draws upon the Greco-Roman legacy of astronomy, with the addition of discoveries made by Muslim scholars. The text is presented in the form of a Platonic discourse. It includes an explanation of how to determine which star is ascendant and what that portends for the world. (LINK)
Sayyid Ahmad Ibn Amar Al-Raqadi Al-Tumbukti Al-Kunti, 17Th Century Author. Curing Diseases and Defects Both Apparent and Hidden. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified]
This compilation of cures (date unknown) instructs the reader about methods of diagnosing and medicating the sick. The author explains the use of animal, plant, and mineral substances as medications. The work also includes prayers and Koranic verses that are helpful against illness. Displayed are instructions for writing prayers, helpful to the sick, for use in amulets. (LINK)
Islamic Medical Manuscripts at the National Library of Medicine.
Discover the pivotal role of Islamic medicine and science in medieval Europe through this comprehensive website, featuring biographies, vivid images, and detailed historical narratives. Tailored for students and enthusiasts of Islamic and European culture, the site offers an extensive glossary of medical, scientific, and book-production terms linked to the content. Advanced scholars can explore a catalogue of over 300 Persian and Arabic manuscripts from the National Library of Medicine, predominantly focusing on medieval medicine and science, catering to learned physicians and scientists, some of which are beautifully illuminated and illustrated. (LINK)
Al-Din Abu Al-Abbas Ahmad Ibn Al-Hajj Al-Amin Al-Tawathi Al-Ghalawi, Nasir Author. The Important Stars Among the Multitude of the Heavens. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified]
This early 18th-century text was written to train scholars in the field of astronomy, a science that Islamic tradition traces back to Adam and to the prophet Idris. The author discusses, among many other aspects of astronomy, how to use the movements of the stars to calculate the beginning of the seasons. He also discusses how to cast horoscopes. The work includes a diagram representing the rotation of the heavens. (LINK)
On the Calculation of Numbers in the Science of Astronomy. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified]
This work (date unknown) explains mathematical calculations and their use in astronomy and astrology. The final portion of the manuscript is missing. (LINK)