Quotes from book
On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

Name: On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy
Author: Averroes

AverroesOriginal title Fasl al-maqâl fîmâ bain ashsharî'ah wa al-hikmah min al-ittisâl (Arabic, 1179)

Fasl al-Maqal fi ma bayn al-Hikma wa al-Shariah min Ittisal is an Islamic philosophical treatise written by Andalusian Muslim polymath and philosopher Ibn Rushd , in which the author "critically examine[s] the alleged tension between philosophy and religion" and concludes that philosophy is not in opposition to—and in fact, works in tandem with—Islamic thought. In the work, Averroes argues that some Muslims have an obligation to study philosophy, and that the subject should be considered an Islamic science. The work also contains several other unique ideas, including Averroes' assertion that the Qur’an should sometimes be read in a non-literal way. According to William Theodore De Bary and Ainslie Embree, On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy represents a "classic attempt to reconcile religion and philosophy."

“The Law teaches that the universe was invented and created by God, and that it did not come into being by chance or by itself.”

Averroes book On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

Part 1: The Creation of the Universe; Opening sentence
On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

“This is one of the most intricate problems of religion.”

Averroes book On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

Part 3: Of Fate And Predestination; Opening sentence
On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy
Context: This is one of the most intricate problems of religion. For if you look into the traditional arguments () about this problem you will find them contradictory; such also being the case with arguments of reason. The contradiction in the arguments of the first kind is found in the Qur'an and the Hadith.

“On the whole, a man who denies the existence of the effects arranged according to the causes in the question of arts, or whose wisdom cannot understand it, then he has no knowledge of the art of its Maker.”

Averroes book On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

“If we admit the existence of the prophetic mission, by putting the idea of possibility, which is in fact ignorance, in place of certainty, and make miracles a proof of the truth of man who claims to be a prophet it becomes necessary that they should not be used by a person, who says that they can be performed by others than prophets, as the Mutakallimun do.”

Averroes book On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

Part 2: The Advent of the Prophets; Opening sentence
On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

“It is quite clear to you that all the people see that lower kinds of creation could have been made in a different way from that in which they really are, and as they see this lower degree in many things they think that they must have been made by chance.”

Averroes book On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

“Come the Day of Judgment, some believe that the body will be different from our present body. This is only transient, that will be eternal. For this also there are religious arguments.”

Averroes book On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy

Pat 5: The Day of Judgment; Opening sentence
On the Harmony of Religions and Philosophy