Al-Farabi's Political Philosophy

Notes Political Philosophy
Political Thought of Al-Farabi:
Introduction:
 Born in Central Asia ca 870s but moved into Baghdad.
 He was a Political Philosopher of Islamic Golden Age.
 He was quite idealist philosopher inspired by Greek philosophy
 He studied neo-Platonic work and Alexandrian school of thought.
 he was quite inspired by Greek philosophers, namely Aristotle and Plato, but differ them
in case of Democracy.
 The two Greek philosophers were critic to Democracy but Al-Farabi considered
Democracy a relatively good form of Government.
 Al-Farabi considered as 2nd Teacher in Islamic world after Aristotle.
Pillar of Al-Farabi’s Political Views:
 To understand the political view of Al-Farabi, we must have a look on his Philosophy
of life.
 He argues that, as a rationally creature Human seek for virtue.
 According to him, virtue leads the life towards Supreme Happiness (Sa’ada).
 His whole Political views revolve around the center of Sa’ada.
1| arbalush@gmail.com Aamir Rahim

Al-Farabi’s Views on government and Polity:
 His views on politics can be extracted from his two works:
o The Virtuous city.
o The Civil Polity.
 According him Sa’ada or Supreme happiness is ultimate goal of life so political regime of
that state should serve that purpose.
 He said a virtuous regime allowed his subjects to work together and live a virtuous and
noble life.
Al-Farabi’s Ideal Regime:
 He called his ideal regime a virtuous state.
 His ideal regime is hierarchic.
 At the top of this hierarchic system. There must be one supreme ruler, a ruler similar to
the philosopher king of Plato with high intellect.
 In his ideal regime
 a supreme leader must a source of all knowledge and power, he supports a virtuous
authoritative system under oligarchy.
 He considered his Supreme leader of state a Philosopher Prophet.
Farabi’s Division of States:
 He described different forms of States.
 IGNORENT STATE:
o The states whose citizens and ruler are unaware of divine Happiness Sa’ada.

 IMMORAL STATE:
o The states who know about the supreme happiness but consciously rejects the
Supreme Happiness (Sa’ada).
 ERRING STATE:
o State whose citizens misunderstood Sa’ada or led to astray.
o They might consider the wealth as supreme happiness but Farabi argues Sa’ada is
Virtue.
Farabi’s Comparison of Different States to his Ideal State
 He identifies 6 different states where virtue is missing or can be pursued.
 VILE STATE:
o Where citizens and ruler seek for wealth.
o They misunderstood the Supreme Happiness (Sa’ada) with wealth.
o This regime falls under Erring state.
 BASE STATE:
o The State where citizens seek for pleasure and entertainment.
o They misunderstood supreme Happiness with the sense of pleasure.
o This regime falls under Erring State.
 DESPOTIC STATE:
o Where citizens and rulers seek for power and subjugation of others along with its
subjects.
o This regime consciously denies the Supreme Happiness.
o And falls under Immoral State.

 TIMOCRATIC STATE:
o Where citizens and rulers pursue the honor and glory.
o Al-Farabi believes that Timocratic state bears the potential to go through the path
of virtue and achieve supreme happiness or Sa’ada.
o Al-Farabi considers this regime relatively better.
 STATE OF NECESSITIES:
o Where citizens only seek for security and basic survival rights.
o They have no sense of virtue.
o This regime can fall under Ignorant state.
o In state of necessities people can achieve Sa’ada as they are not totally corrupted
and seeking for the survival.
 DEMOCRATIC STATE:
o Seeks for freedom.
o Democratic state bears some virtuous people.
o Virtuous people can go to the path of virtue and achieve Sa’ada or Supreme
Happiness.
o This is considerably good regime for Al-Farabi.
Similarity and Contradiction with Plato’ Political views:
 9th century Islamic Political philosopher Al-Farabi were influenced by Greek
philosophical school of thought.
 A huge portion of his political views are similar with Plato’s views.

 Like Plato, he introduced an idea of Ideal state system which must be ruled by a intellect
or Philosopher Prophet, where Plato considered a Philosopher king for his ideal state.
 His approach toward politics were idealist as of Plato’s
 He emphasized that virtue leads to supreme happiness as of Plato argued virtue leads to
justice.
 He contradicts with Plato on views of democracy.
 According to him, democracy is a better form of government to achieve supreme
happiness.
 As per Plato, democracy leads irrelevant people to run the state affairs. Plato argues, such
as doctor cannot run a ship, for this purpose a captain needed to run the ship as same as a
Knowledgeable Philosopher king needed to run the state affairs.

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Notes Political Philosophy

Political Thought of Al-Farabi:

 Born in Central Asia ca 870s but moved into Baghdad.

 He was a Political Philosopher of Islamic Golden Age.

 He was quite idealist philosopher inspired by Greek philosophy

 He studied neo-Platonic work and Alexandrian school of thought.

Democracy a relatively good form of Government.

 Al-Farabi considered as 2nd Teacher in Islamic world after Aristotle.

Pillar of Al-Farabi’s Political Views:

 He argues that, as a rationally creature Human seek for virtue.

 His whole Political views revolve around the center of Sa’ada.

1| arbalush@gmail.com Aamir Rahim

Al-Farabi’s Views on government and Polity:

 His views on politics can be extracted from his two works:

o The Virtuous city.

o The Civil Polity.

that state should serve that purpose.

Al-Farabi’s Ideal Regime:

 He called his ideal regime a virtuous state.

 His ideal regime is hierarchic.

the philosopher king of Plato with high intellect.

 In his ideal regime

authoritative system under oligarchy.

 He considered his Supreme leader of state a Philosopher Prophet.

Farabi’s Division of States:

 He described different forms of States.

1| arbalush@gmail.com Aamir Rahim

Supreme Happiness (Sa’ada).

o State whose citizens misunderstood Sa’ada or led to astray.

Farabi’s Comparison of Different States to his Ideal State

 He identifies 6 different states where virtue is missing or can be pursued.

o Where citizens and ruler seek for wealth.

o They misunderstood the Supreme Happiness (Sa’ada) with wealth.

o This regime falls under Erring state.

o The State where citizens seek for pleasure and entertainment.

o They misunderstood supreme Happiness with the sense of pleasure.

o This regime falls under Erring State.

o This regime consciously denies the Supreme Happiness.

o And falls under Immoral State.

1| arbalush@gmail.com Aamir Rahim

o Where citizens and rulers pursue the honor and glory.

of virtue and achieve supreme happiness or Sa’ada.

o Al-Farabi considers this regime relatively better.

o They have no sense of virtue.

o This regime can fall under Ignorant state.

and seeking for the survival.

o Seeks for freedom.

o Democratic state bears some virtuous people.

o This is considerably good regime for Al-Farabi.

Similarity and Contradiction with Plato’ Political views:

 9th century Islamic Political philosopher Al-Farabi were influenced by Greek

philosophical school of thought.

1| arbalush@gmail.com Aamir Rahim

 His approach toward politics were idealist as of Plato’s

 He contradicts with Plato on views of democracy.

 According to him, democracy is a better form of government to achieve supreme

Knowledgeable Philosopher king needed to run the state affairs.

1| arbalush@gmail.com Aamir Rahim

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