Studying Islamic Philosophy

Question

What are the books of Islamic philosophy in order of difficulty for beginners to reach a greater understanding? [AR_ID:574]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you. The common method today for teaching Islamic philosophy in our religious seminaries is as follows: First, before starting to study philosophy, the student should study logic, as it is the tool of philosophy, beginning with the book 'Logic of Al-Muthaffar.' Second, they should move on to study one of these three books: A) 'Al-Jawhar Al-Nadid: Explanation of the Logic of Al-Tajreed,' B) 'The Solar Message,' C) 'The Commentary of Mulla Abdullah.' Third, they should then proceed to the book 'Lessons in Islamic Creed.' Fourth, after that, they can start with 'Beginning of Wisdom' by Allameh Tabatabai. Fifth, they should move on to 'End of Wisdom' by Allameh Tabatabai. Sixth, they may study 'The System' by Al-Sabzawari or at least 'Philosophical Psychology' and its book on resurrection. Seventh, they should study 'The Travels' as it is related to the science of mysticism, starting with 'Preparation of the Principles' by Ibn Torkah in theoretical mysticism, which is beneficial for understanding philosophical concepts. Yes, some may delve deeper into these topics, which is also important, studying 'The Signs and Alerts,' 'The Divine Matters of Al-Shifa,' and 'The Proof of Al-Shifa' by the Chief Sheikh, while others study the principles of philosophy and the realistic doctrine of Allameh Tabatabai. May you be successful in all good things.