Abu Al-Barakat Al-Baghdadi On The Human Soul

Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah

Paperback, 170 pages

9789671663721

This study introduces and elaborates upon ideas gleaned from an analysis of the psychological section of the al-Mu'tabar fi al-Hikmah by Abu al-Barakat al-Baghdadi that deals mainly with the major philosophical problems of the human soul. Kitab al-Nafs is considered historically to be among the major works on Islamic philosophy. This study focuses only on major issues concerning the nature of the human soul. It covers aspects such as the definition and existence of the human soul as well as its nature, including the problem of immateriality and substantiality of the soul, its faculties as well as the soul-body relationship. All these aspects demonstrate the reality and nature of the human soul including its psychological aspects, from the view of Abu al-Barakat.

Contents

1. The Definition of the Soul

2. The Existence of the Human Soul

3. The Immateriality and Substantiality of the Human Soul

4. The Soul-Body Relationship, Its Faculties and the Unity of the Human Soul

5. Concluding Remarks on Abu al-Barakat's Conception of the Human Soul