FAZLUR RAHMAN'S ISLAMlC PHILOSOPHY (3)

D . Conclusion
Attempts at defining the meanhg and role of philosophy in Islam have been
numerous. Several of these attempts have yielded conclusions sirnilar to Rahman's.
Muhammad Iqbâl, for instance, who acknowledged the role of Greek philosophy in shaping
Muslim t hought , regrets t his s ame philosophy for having obscured the Qur' &ic vision?'
Nasr has followed his own approach to the study of Islamic philosophy by conducting a reexamination
of its inner, spiritual core in the hope of denving its essential truths.
Fazlur Rahman's underst anding of Islamic philosophy, however, remains unique. 1 t
is, of course, true that Iqbal -- to mention only one Muslim scholar who has closely studied
Islamic philosophy -- proposed valuable suggestions applicable to the understanding of
Islamic philosophy. He did not, however, emulate Rahman's comprehensive attempt to
trace the historical development of the philosophical tradition in Islam. Moreover, Rahman,
Study on Fakhr al-DIO al-RZZaodB7.s Contm verses in Trmsoxtma (Beiruî : Dar el-Machreq, 19 66).
gS~ahrnan"F, unctional Interdependence," 94.
97 Mohammad Iqbal, The ~econstmcf ioo~ff R eligious Thou@ ib Islam (Lahore: Sh.
Muhammad Ashraf, 1951), 3.
32
preoccupied as he was by both Greek and Islamic philosophy, was better able to analyze the
gap between the two systems of thought.
Rahman was a Muslim thinker who dealt with philosophy on his own terms. He
clearly expressed his religious belief in his analysis of the philosophical tradition of Islam.
Rahman's philosophy, after dl, includes his faith cornmitment; hence there is no clear
separation between his philosophical views and his religious beliefs. Here lies the kemel of
bis perception of the character of Islarnic philosophy. Thus, one can conclude that
Rahman's definition of Islamic philosophy is characterized by an approach which is not
merely rational, but more importantly, is grounded in the practical. In short, Rahman's
philosophy is a moral and practical philosophy abstracted fiom his understanding of the
Qur7Zn.
Rahman's approach to philosophy, however, does not absolve hirn of his
inappropriate conclusion regarding the neglect of ethics by Muslim philosophers. Indeed,
Rahman's assertion that the Falâsifah neglect the shari'ah in their ethical discoune shows
his "bias" ssine he, ta some extent, expectzd them to base their ethicai concepts on Islam,
which was not the main issue of the intellectual environment of their day.
It is not invalid to ask why we consider Rahman's thought to be ccphilosophy'' and
not "theology." The reason is, as may be deduced fiom Rahman hirnself, that the term
theology (kalam) in the history of Islam rnay be understood to comprise "... theoretical
foundations of the religion like God's existence, His attributes, the world as creation of
God, and Propheth~od."~T' hus, kalam deals more with theoretical concepts than with
98~ahman"F, unct ionai Interdependence," 9 1.
33
practical deeds. Moreover, Rahman discusses a broader range of issues than is encompassed
by classical k d ' .In fact, Rahman's Islamic philosophical approach is characterized by a
comprehensive vision of life.