REFLECTIONS ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY

As a result of secular dimension that the Western philosophy inclines to, many see philosophy as a phenomenon that cannot be attributed to religion, which led to hasty conclusion in some quarters that philosophy is against religion and must be seen and treated as such. This paper looks at the concept of philosophy in general and Islamic philosophy in particular. It starts by examining Muslim philosophers’ understanding of philosophy, and the wider meanings it attained in their philosophical thought, which do not only reflect in their works but also manifest in their deeds and lifestyles. The paper also tackles the stereotypes about the so-called “replication of Greek philosophy in Islamic philosophy.” It further unveils a total transformation and a more befitting outlook of Islamic philosophy accorded the whole enterprise of philosophy. It also exposes the distinctions between the Islamic philosophy and Western philosophy.