Farabi Symposium Highlights Iranian Roots of Islamic Philosophy

Date: 19 November 2025 - 22:26

News ID: ۱۴۶۰۰۸

TEHRAN -- On the occasion of
National Philosophy and Wisdom Day, the Association of Cultural Works and Figures convened a dedicated symposium titled Farabi: The Voice of Thought at the Shaheed Motahhari Hall.
The gathering attracted a distinguished assembly of scholars, researchers, and enthusiasts of Islamic philosophy, reflecting the enduring significance of Abu Nasr Farabi’s legacy in the Iranian and broader Islamic intellectual landscape.
In his opening remarks, Mahmoud Shalouei, president of the association, emphasized that although philosophy arrived relatively late in Iran, it soon established deep roots.
Farabi, Avicenna, and other luminaries not only mastered Greek philosophical thought but expanded it, producing intellectual contributions that transcended their Hellenistic origins.
Shalouei highlighted subsequent figures such as Mulla Sadra, who synthesized Ash‘ari and Mu‘tazili theology with peripatetic and illuminationist philosophy, and Allameh Tabataba’i, whose works—including Bidaya and Nihaya—revitalized this heritage amid challenges posed by materialist ideologies. According to Shalouei, the current era demands renewed engagement with philosophy to ensure that thinkers like Farabi remain integral to Iran’s civilizational identity.
Qasem Pourhasan of Allameh Tabataba’i University elaborated on Farabi’s innovations, stressing that his contributions cannot be reduced merely to Aristotelian transmission. Farabi pioneered foundational advancements in philosophy, linguistics, and political thought.
His treatise Kitab al-Huruf exemplifies his view of language as an instrument of intellect, a perspective anticipating contemporary cognitive linguistic theory. Pourhasan noted that Farabi situated reason at the heart of human development, connecting ethical cultivation with social and political agency.
Speakers also explored Farabi’s enduring relevance to contemporary society. Fatemeh Mohajerani, government spokesperson, highlighted Farabi’s conceptualization of the “perfect intellect” and the ethical development of humanity, illustrating how his vision unites rationality, morality, and civic responsibility.
Hojjatoleslam Hamid Parsania discussed Farabi’s social philosophy, emphasizing the nuanced differentiation between ideal and flawed communities and the prescient applicability of his framework to modern social analysis.
Finally, Hussein Kalbasi Ashtari cautioned against narrowly classifying Farabi and Avicenna as purely Peripatetic philosophers. Instead, he underscored the Persian and Shi‘a intellectual roots that infused their thought, calling for broader scholarly engagement with neglected dimensions of Iranian philosophical heritage.