1.Al-Farabi’s Definition and Goal of Philosophy
Abu Nasr al-Farabi, heralded as “The Second Teacher,” did not view philosophy as a mere academic discipline but as the highest manifestation of human existence. For Al-Farabi, philosophy is the “Science of all existents as existents” (al-ilm bi-al-mawjudat bima hiya mawjuda). He posits that the primary definition of philosophy is the attainment of truth through rigorous demonstration (Burhan), which distinguishes it from religion or dialectical theology (Kalam), which rely on persuasion or traditional authority.
The ultimate goal of philosophy in Al-Farabi’s view is the realization of Human Happiness (Sa’ada). However, happiness is not a fleeting emotional state; it is an ontological achievement where the human soul reaches its perfection by detaching from the shackles of matter and becoming an “intellect in act.” Philosophy serves as the roadmap for this journey. By understanding the cosmic order, the philosopher aligns their rational faculty with the divine laws of the universe. Thus, the purpose of philosophy is both cognitive—grasping the hierarchical structure of reality—and transformative—shaping the individual and the city into a reflection of that divine order.
2. Ontological Foundations: The Synthesis of Aristotle and Neoplatonism
Al-Farabi’s ontology is a monumental synthesis that seeks to harmonize the “Unmoved Mover” of Aristotle with the “One” of Plotinus. From the Aristotelian tradition, Al-Farabi adopted the language of Necessity and Possibility. He classified beings into two categories: the Necessary Being (Wajib al-Wujud), whose essence is identical to its existence, and Contingent Beings (Mumkin al-Wujud), which require an external cause to exist.
However, to explain how a singular, perfect God could give rise to a pluralistic, material world without undergoing change, Al-Farabi turned to the Neoplatonic theory of Emanation (Fayd). He drew heavily from the Enneads of Plotinus (mistakenly circulated in the Islamic world as the Theology of Aristotle). Unlike the traditional theological concept of creation as a temporal act of will (Khalq), Al-Farabi described it as an eternal, logical “overflowing.” This allowed him to maintain God’s absolute transcendence and immutability while explaining the existence of the “Many” as a series of intellectual necessities flowing from the “One.”
3. The Epistemological Necessity: Knowing Being as a Path to Perfection
The pursuit of metaphysical knowledge is not a luxury but a requirement for the soul’s survival after death. Al-Farabi argues that the human soul begins as a “Potential Intellect” (Aql al-Hayulani). To transition into an “Actual Intellect,” it must perceive universal truths and the essences of things. Knowledge of the hierarchy of existence is the highest form of this intellectual exercise.
By contemplating the levels of being—from the First Cause down to the lowest minerals—the human mind mirrors the cosmos within itself. This is the “Knowledge of the Ultimate”; without it, the soul remains trapped in the particularity of the senses and fails to achieve its telos. Al-Farabi emphasizes that knowing the First Cause leads to an understanding of the principle of Order (Nizam), which is essential for both individual ethics and the governance of the virtuous city. Epistemology, therefore, is the bridge that carries the human spirit from the realm of the transitory to the realm of the eternal.
4. The Mechanics of Emanation: A Detailed Analysis of Faydh
The theory of Fayd (Effluence or Overflowing) is Al-Farabi’s masterpiece of metaphysical engineering. He starts with the First Cause (Al-Sabab al-Awwal), which is pure intellect, pure goodness, and absolute unity. Because the First is “The Most Perfect,” it cannot remain in isolation; its very perfection necessitates that existence flows from it. This process is not a choice in the human sense, but an eternal, intellectual necessity.
The process occurs in a cascading intellectual sequence:
The First Intellect: The First Cause contemplates itself. From this act of self-thought, the First Created Intellect emerges.
Triad of Contemplation: This new intellect has three dimensions of thought:
It thinks of the First Cause, which gives rise to a Third Intellect.
It thinks of its own essence as a necessary being through its cause, which gives rise to the Soul of the outermost sphere.
It thinks of its own essence as a contingent being in itself, which gives rise to the Body of the outermost sphere.
This “triadic” logic continues down through the celestial spheres (the Fixed Stars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon), creating a bridge of intelligence and celestial bodies that links the Absolute to the Earth.
5. The Hierarchy of Being: From the Apex to Prime Matter
The Farabian universe is a strictly ordered pyramid consisting of six major ranks. The primary goal of this hierarchy was to solve the Problem of the One and the Many. If God were to create directly, the diversity of the world would imply a diversity in God’s essence. By using intermediate Intellects, Al-Farabi protects the Divine Unity (Tawhid) while accounting for complexity.
The First Cause: The source of all, existing without any partner or contrary.
The Secondaries: The immaterial celestial intellects.
The Active Intellect (Al-Aql al-Fa’al): This is the Tenth Intellect, the most crucial for humanity. It governs the sublunary world (the Earth) and acts as the “Giver of Forms” (Wahib al-Suwar).
Soul, Form, and Matter: These represent the lower tiers where existence becomes increasingly entangled with potentiality and change, culminating in Prime Matter, which is the absolute limit of existence—lacking any form of its own and representing the greatest distance from the First Cause.
6. The Active Intellect and the Sublunary Realm
A deep explanation of the Active Intellect is vital. While the first nine intellects govern the heavenly bodies, the Tenth Intellect is the intermediary between the divine and the human. It is responsible for the existence of the four elements (fire, air, water, earth) and for “lighting up” the human mind.
For Al-Farabi, the Active Intellect is the “Sun” of the mental world. Just as the physical sun makes colors visible to the eye, the Active Intellect makes universal truths visible to the human mind. This provides a solution to the problem of Abstraction; humans do not create knowledge from scratch; they receive the “forms” transmitted by the Active Intellect once their minds are prepared through study and purification.
7. Reflection of Emanation on Epistemology and Prophecy
The theory of emanation provides a revolutionary explanation for the nature of Prophecy (Nubuwwa). Al-Farabi argues that both the Philosopher and the Prophet receive the same “overflow” from the Active Intellect.
The Philosopher receives it through the Rational Faculty, resulting in abstract, demonstrative truths.
The Prophet receives it through the Imaginative Faculty, resulting in symbols, parables, and laws that can be understood by the masses.
This creates a unified theory of knowledge where reason and revelation are not in conflict; they are simply different modes of receiving the same divine emanation. It also elevates the status of the “Philosopher-King,” who must possess both a perfected intellect to grasp the emanation and a perfected imagination to lead the people.
8. Reflection of Emanation on Values, Ethics, and Politics
The ultimate reflection of the theory of Fayd is found in Al-Farabi’s Political Ethics. He argues that the human city must be a microcosm of the emanationist universe.
Leadership: Just as the First Cause is the head of the universe, the “Virtuous City” must have a single leader—the First Chief (Al-Ra’is al-Awwal)—who is in contact with the Active Intellect.
Hierarchy of Service: Justice in the city is defined as every citizen occupying their “natural rank” in the hierarchy, just as every planet and intellect has its fixed place.
Moral Value: Values like courage, wisdom, and temperance are not social constructs; they are the tools that allow the soul to “re-ascend” the ladder of emanation.
Conclusion
Al-Farabi’s theory of emanation is an intellectual tour de force that successfully integrated Greek logic into the heart of Islamic civilization. By depicting the universe as an eternal flow of intelligence, he provided a rational framework for understanding God, the cosmos, and the human soul as a single, interconnected reality. His legacy paved the way for Ibn Sina and the later Illuminationist school, remaining a foundational pillar of Eastern philosophy.
References and Bibliography
Al-Farabi, A. N. (1985). The Political Regime (Al-Siyasa al-Madaniyya). Trans. Fauzi M. Najjar.
Walzer, R. (1985). Al-Farabi on the Perfect State. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Netton, I. R. (1989). Allah Transcendent: Studies in the Structure and Semiotics of Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Cosmology. Routledge.
Rescher, N. (1963). Al-Farabi: An Annotated Bibliography. University of Pittsburgh Press.
McGinnis, J., & Reisman, D. C. (2007). Classical Arabic Philosophy: An Anthology of Sources. Hackett Publishing.