Philosophy and the Power of the Religious Law

Western scholars have long assumed that during the sixth/twelfth century “religious” forces hostile to the practice of philosophy in Islam became so powerful that they successfully suppressed and persecuted philosophers, so much so that this discipline waned and eventually disappeared in Islam. This chapter looks at the evidence for suppression and persecution of philosophy from the side of religious and political authorities. It particularly asks whether al-Ghazali’s fatwa on the unbelief and apostasy of philosophers who hold three clearly identified positions was ever applied. The chapter discusses several examples, most importantly the executions of ‘Ayn al-Qudat al-Hamadhani in 525/1131 and Shihab al-Din Yahya al-Suhrawardi around 588/1192. It concludes that al-Ghazali’s fatwa was likely instrumental in the death of ‘Ayn al-Qudat, yet it brought with it so many legal problems that it had next to no effect beyond the generation of al-Ghazali’s immediate students.