Abu Nasr Faroobi (873-950)

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Farobi is his pseudonym and his full name is Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Uzlug Tarkhan - a famous Central Asian philosopher and encyclopedic scholar who made a significant contribution to world culture. Many scientific achievements of the Middle Ages, as well as the development of progressive socio-philosophical thought in the Middle East in general, are associated with his name. Pharoah was well-known in the Orient for his mastery of all the sciences of his time and his contribution to the development of these sciences, as well as for his commentary on Greek philosophy and his introduction to the world. He was the author of Al-Muallim as-Sani (After Aristotle). Aristotle.

Farobi was born into a military family of Turkic tribes on the banks of the Syrdarya in a place called Farobi-Otror. His homeland was ruled by the Samanids and was the northern border of the Arab Caliphate. Farobi received his primary education in his homeland. Then he studied in Tashkent (Shosh), Bukhara, Samarkand. He later came to Baghdad, the cultural center of the Arab Caliphate, to further his education. Many scholars from different parts of the Muslim world, especially from Central Asia, gathered in Baghdad during this period. On his way there, Farobi visited the cities of Iran - Isfahan, Hamadan, Rayda and others. Farabi lived in Baghdad during the caliphates of al-Mutaddil (829–902), al-Muqtafi (902–908), and al-Muqtadir (908–932). Here he became acquainted with various fields of medieval science and language, Greek philosophical schools, and interacted with people of other faiths and philosophies. Abu Bashar learned Greek language and philosophy from Matthew ibn Yunus (870-940) and medicine and logic from John ibn Khilan (860-920). According to some sources, he knew more than 70 languages.

From about 941, Farobi lived in Damascus. He was a guard in a garden on the outskirts of the city, lived a modest life and studied. In recent years, he has been praised by the governor of Aleppo, Sayfuddawla Hamdamid (943–967). Researchers consider his life in Aleppo to be the most productive period. Because this ruler was distinguished by his intelligence and attention to science. He invited Farobi to the palace, but Farobi refused and preferred to live a simple life.

Farobi lived in Egypt from 949 to 950, then in Damascus, where he died and was buried in the Bab al-Saghir cemetery.

Farobi created more than 160 works in almost all fields of natural science and social science during the Middle Ages. Because of his interest in the theoretical aspects and philosophical content of various sciences, his works can be divided into two groups: 2) works devoted to the interpretation, promotion and study of the scientific heritage of Greek philosophers and naturalists; 1) works on topics related to various fields of science.

Pharoah wrote commentaries on the works of ancient Greek thinkers - Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Ptolemy, Porphyry. In particular, he was able to explain in detail the works of Aristotle (Metaphysics, Ethics, Rhetoric, Sophistry, etc.), to point out their shortcomings, and at the same time to create special works that reveal the general content of these works. Farobi's commentaries played an important role in shaping the worldview of the leading thinkers of the Middle East and educating them in the spirit of Aristotle's ideas. Abu Ali ibn Sina emphasizes that he understood the works of Aristotle by reading the commentaries of Farobi ("Metaphysics" - "Mobaadi nature"). Farobi's commentary was instrumental in introducing Greek science not only to the East but also to medieval Europe. This activity is the first stage in the development of his scientific activity. This stage served as a school for Farobi and paved the way for research on new topics.

Such works of Farobi can be divided into the following groups depending on their content:

1) Works on general issues of philosophy, ie the general features, laws and various categories of knowledge: "The Word of Substance" ("Kalam fi-l javhar"), "The Source of Matters" ("Uyunul Masoil"), "The Book of Laws" ( “Kitab fi-l navomis”), “On the permanence of the celestial movement” (“Kitab fi-l movement al-falaka daimatun”), etc .;

2) works on philosophical aspects of human cognitive activity, ie forms, stages, methods of cognition. His works on various problems of logic include: "A word about the minds of adults" ("Kalam fi-l akil al-Kabir"), "A book about the minds of young people" ("Kitab fi-l akil as-sagir") , “The Great Abbreviated Book on Logic” (“Kitab al-mukhtasar al-kabir fi-l mantiq”), “The Book of Introduction to Logic” (“Kitab al-madhal ila-l mantiq”), “The Book of Proof” (“Kitab al -burhon ”),“ Book of syllogism conditions ”(“ Kitab conditions al-qiyas ”),“ Treatise on the essence of the soul ”(“ Risola fi mohiyat an-nafs ”), etc .;

3) Works on the content and theme of philosophy and natural sciences as a science: "Origin and classification of sciences" ("Kitab fi ixso al-ulum wa at-tarif", abbreviated name "Ixsa al-ulum"), "On the meaning of the concept of philosophy" word ”(“ Kalam fi ma'oni ism al-falsafa ”),“ A book on what you need to know before studying philosophy ”(“ Kitab fi ashyo allati yahto-ju antallama kabl al-falsafa ”). “Comments on Philosophy” (“Taaliq fi-l hikmat”), etc .;

4) Mathematical works - arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music: "The word about volume and quantity" ("Kalam fi-l xiyz wa-l quantity"), "On the geometry of space", devoted to the study of the relationship of quantity, space and volume of matter. an abbreviated book on the introduction ”(“ Kitab al-madhal ila-l handasat al-vahmiyati mukhtasarsan ”),“ An article on the method of correcting judgments about the rules of astrology ”( ), “The Great Book of Music” (“Kitab ul-musiqa al-kabir”), “The Word of Music” (“Kalam fi-l musiqiy”), “The Book of Rhythms” (“Kitab ul fi ixso-il-” iqo ”) and b .;

5) Works on the properties and types of matter, inorganic nature, the properties of animals and the human body, ie natural sciences - physics, chemistry, optics, medicine, biology: "Book on the methods of physics" ("Kitab fi usul ilm at-tabiat") , “An Article on the Necessity of the Science of Alchemy and the Rejection of Those Who Deny It” (“Article fi wujub sanaat al-kimya wa-r radd ala mubtiluho”), “A treatise on human organs” (“Risola fi a'zo al-insoniya”) a word about its members ”(“ Kalam fi a'zo al-animal ”), etc .;

6) works on linguistics, poetry, rhetoric, calligraphy: “A word about poetry and rhymes” (“Kalam fi she'r wa-l qavofi”), “A book about rhetoric” (“Kitab fi-l khitoba”), “About dictionaries a book ”(“ Kitab fi-l lug'at ”),“ A book about calligraphy ”(“ Kitab fi san'at al-kitabat ”), etc .;

7) Works on socio-political life, public administration, ethics, education, ie law, ethics, pedagogy: "Risola on the ways to achieve happiness" ("Risola fi-t tanbih ala instrument as-saodat"), " Management of the city ”(“ As-sayasat an-madaniya ”),“ Book on war and peaceful life ”(“ Kitab fi maoyish wa-l khurub ”),“ Virtuous behaviors ”(“ As-siyrat al-fazila ”) and others. .

Farobi's scientific legacy, in general, provides a wealth of information on the cultural and spiritual life, natural sciences, and socio-political issues of the Middle East. The thinker wrote in Arabic, which was the scientific and literary language of the East at the time. Farobi also wrote philosophical poems in Arabic and Persian.

Farobi's works were translated into Latin, ancient Hebrew, Persian, and later into other languages ​​in the XII-XIII centuries and spread throughout the world. Copies from recent centuries are kept in libraries and institutions in many countries. The Beruni Institute of Oriental Studies in Tashkent has a total of 107 treatises on the works of ancient Eastern philosophers, including a collection of 16 treatises by Farobi (Arabic), the Majmuat rasoil al-hukamo, Manuscripts Fund, 2385. This unique manuscript is important in the study of Farobi's works. Farobi's treatises in the collection were partially translated into Uzbek and published in 1975.

Farobi's views on the natural sciences are described in detail in The Origin and Classification of Sciences. The book describes and emphasizes more than 30 medieval sciences. All subjects are divided into 5 groups: 1) language science (7 sections - grammar, spelling, poetry); 2) logic and its parts; 3) mathematics (arithmetic, geometry, optics, astronomy, music, gravity, mechanics); 4) natural sciences and metaphysics (8 sections - divination, medicine, alchemy); 5) urban sciences - political science, jurisprudence, kalam (ethics, pedagogy).

This classification of sciences was a perfect form of systematization of scientific knowledge in its time and was of great importance for the further development of knowledge.

It is noteworthy that Farobi distinguished between the natural and social sciences. According to him, mathematics, natural sciences, and metaphysics served to enrich the human mind with knowledge, while sciences such as grammar, logic, and poetry served to correct the use of science and to explain knowledge to others. Knowledge of politics, ethics, and education teaches people to unite in communities and the rules of social life.

Farobi is well aware of the importance of the natural sciences for the practical activities of man. He calls such sciences the sciences of real things. In his commentaries on the books of Greek naturalists Euclid, Ptolemy, and Galen, and in his book on geometry, he emerged as a great scholar of the ancient world, medieval mathematical ideas, and sought ways to solve a number of complex categories and abstract concepts of mathematics from a scientific point of view. enriched the ideas of

In Pharoah's On the Right and Wrong of the Rules of the Stars, the natural connections between celestial bodies and terrestrial phenomena, in particular the formation of clouds and rain due to evaporation under the influence of solar heat, or the lunar eclipse, were linked to solar eclipses. In so doing, he exposed the "fortune tellers" to the heavenly bodies. Farobi criticized chemistry as an integral part of the natural sciences, criticizing those who tried to convert cheap metals into precious metals (see Alchemy). Although Farobi was not directly involved in medicine, he was well versed in theoretical medicine. His medical views are described in the pamphlet On Human Organs. It emphasizes the study of human organs, the causes of various diseases, the conditions under which they occur, and the need for nutrients to restore the health of the body. Emphasis is placed on the fact that a person's mental and physical condition depends on external factors and environmental influences. His views on the function and purpose of medicine greatly influenced Ibn Sina's views on the subject.

The formation of Farobi's worldview was largely influenced by the traditions of the ancient advanced culture of the East, the popular movement against the Arab caliphate, the achievements of medieval natural science, and the philosophical heritage of Greece. Pharoah first sought to restore, substantiate, and develop the teachings of Aristotle on the basis of the latest scientific advances, creating the current of Eastern Aristotelianism. It developed the style, important issues, categories of the flow.

In essence, Farobi's philosophical teachings are fundamentally different from traditional theology - the word - and are full of scientific ideas. According to Farobi's philosophy, the universe consists of a single being, a single being - an obligatory being, that is, an eternal being - the first cause and a possible being - the result of created beings. Allah is the eternal being (the obligatory being), the beginning of everything, all beings - the possible being, from which gradually emerges step by step, the last step of which is matter. According to him, nature is a gradual process in which the formation of various forms of matter takes place on the basis of cause-and-effect relationships, in a certain sequence and necessity. In his treatises The Essence of Problems and On the Changing Things, Farobi argues that matter is infinite in space and time. In this way, the Eastern form of pantheism enriched the doctrine of existence with new ideas.

According to Farobi's theory of the origin of being, existence consists of four elements - earth, water, air, and fire; celestial bodies are also formed from the combination of these elements. The reason why material bodies differ from each other is that the elements in their origin are different: fire is the cause of heat; water - cold, humidity; The soil - the cause of hardness. Pharoah divides the whole being into 4 levels (causes) related to the relationship of cause and effect: Allah (as-sabab al-awwal), the heavenly rocks (as-sabab as-saniy), the mind (al-aql al-active), the soul ( an-nafs), form (as-surat), matter (al-substance). Of these, Allah is an obligatory being, and the rest are possible beings. They are causally connected.

For Farobi, the world is budding and is gradually unfolding, revealing more and more of its colorful aspects and inexhaustible riches. Such an interpretation of existence paved the way for the further development of natural-scientific ideas. Abu Ali ibn Sina and later thinkers based their philosophical views on this system of beings.

The teachings of science, knowledge, and reason are consistently and perfectly elaborated in Farobi's works. He regarded the question of knowledge as an integral part of the explanation of human nature.

According to Farobi, the brain controls a person's cognition and mental abilities, and the heart is the center that supplies all the organs with the blood necessary for life, and all mental "powers", including the ability to know, depend on a particular organ.

In The Virtues of Science and Art, Farobi emphasizes the infinity of knowledge of nature, the ignorance of knowledge, the knowledge of causation, the knowledge of causation, the quality of attributes from accident (al-oraz) to substance-essence (ore).

In the beginning of man, first of all, there is a "nourishing force" through which man eats. Then there are 5 types of "external forces", ie "forces" created by the senses as a result of direct external influences: skin-body sensations; sense of taste; sense of smell; auditory perception; visual perception. Farobi calls all of this "emotional power" and considers them as parts of emotional cognition. "Inner power" includes the "powers" of memory, imagination (memory, imagination), emotions, speech (thinking). In Inner Power, Farobi refers to the stage of mental cognition. The acquisition of knowledge is done through these powers.

Farobi emphasizes that the process of cognition depends on both stages, and that mental cognition does not come into being without emotional cognition.

In his book On the Meanings of the Mind, Farobi gives an in-depth interpretation of the question of the mind. He taught that the mind is, on the one hand, a mental process and, on the other, an external influence, the result of education. According to Farobi, the mind is connected only with the innate power of man - the spiritual power.

The science of logic plays an important role in Farobi's teaching on reason and cognition in general. "The art of logic informs man of such laws," he wrote, "that through these laws the mind is hardened, and man learns to think rationally." Farobi emphasizes the commonality between the science of logic and grammar: the relation of logic to reason is the same as the relation of grammar to language. Just as grammar educates people to speak, so the science of logic corrects the mind to guide thinking in a real way.

Farobi's logic was a major factor in the development of the latest logic in the Muslim East.

Farobi's ideas about knowledge, logic, and reason serve and are subordinate to his teachings about man. The possession of reason must not be limited to being knowledgeable and logical, but must end with the possession of certain moral principles and moral culture.

Speaking of the intelligent man, Farobi writes: “Intelligent are those who are virtuous, sharp-witted, devoted to useful work, have a great talent for discovering and inventing what is necessary, and shun evil deeds. Such people are called wise. Those who have the intellect to invent evil deeds cannot be called intelligent, they must be called cunning and deceitful. ”

Farobi was the first in the Middle Ages to create a coherent doctrine of the origins, goals, and tasks of society. It covers many aspects of social life, such as governance, education, morality, enlightenment, religion, war and reconciliation, labor, and more.

In his book The Advice of the People of Fozil, Farobi writes about the origin of society ("human community"): "Everyone is by nature so structured that he needs many things to live and attain a high level of maturity, and he can achieve such things on his own. faoliyati The activities of the members of such a community as a whole provide each of them with the things they need to survive and mature. Therefore, human beings multiplied and settled in the inhabited part of the earth, and as a result, a human community was formed. ”

Farobi considers the city to be a mature form of social organization, a necessary means of human perfection. It calls on all people to work together, on peace, and on the creation of a single human community in the world. the thinker opposes a society that discriminates against human dignity. In The Wisdom of a Statesman, he denounces a society based on constant wars and aggression as an unjust, ignorant society.

In his noble community, Farobi divides people into groups according to various characteristics. It does not focus on a person's religious affiliation, ethnicity, or race, but on their natural characteristics, abilities, and above all, their intellectual abilities, as well as the knowledge and skills they acquire in the process of studying science and gaining life experience. Strongly condemns doctrines that call for obedience.

Farobi's "Booklet on the Ways to Happiness" and "Booklet on the Way to Happiness" vividly describe the noble society he dreamed of. "The task of the state is to lead people to happiness," he writes, "and this is achieved through science and good morals." Farobi mentions the forms of governing the state with the help of a mature person (monarchy), a few people with mature qualities (aristocracy) and elected people (democracy).

Farobi thinks that society strives for maturity in its development, so it struggles and eventually rises to the level of a noble society, a noble city.

He writes: “A good society and a good city (or country) are such that everyone in that country is engaged in a profession. People will be truly liberated. There will be all kinds of good habits and pleasures among them. ” Farobi, the king who rules such a noble community, also makes certain demands on the leaders. He must always take care of the people and put the interests of others before his own. The leader or group of leaders of such a community must display six important qualities: justice, wisdom, obedience to the law, and the ability to make laws, to foresee the future, and to care for others.

Farobi's teaching about the noble community is inextricably linked with his views on the perfect man. In a virtuous community, perfect human qualities are formed. For example, a mature person of moral character must have twelve qualities. These qualities are strengthened in human relationships and develop in the direction of goodness. Farobi's teachings on the noble community and the perfect man have had a profound effect on recent scholars.

In general, Farobi's ideas about a noble society, a perfect man, happiness, mutual assistance, a wise leader, and equality are imaginary for their time. However, this doctrine, aimed at the spiritual liberation of man, the discovery of his potential, and the establishment of a humanistic orientation, made a great contribution to the development of advanced social thought. Represents universal aspirations. His social ideas were later developed in the works of the last thinkers: Abu Rayhan Beruni, Ibn Sino, Ibn Rushd, Bakhmanyar, Nizami, Saadi, Abdurahman Jami, Alisher Navoi, Bedil, Iqbal, Ahmad Donish and others.

Farobi also became known as a major medieval musicologist with his multi-volume book, The Great Book of Music. He divides the science of music into theoretical and practical branches, taking into account the internal structure and laws of melody, definition and science.

In the theory of music, Farobi not only gives a natural-scientific description of the formation of sounds, but also reveals the mathematical principles of melody harmony, gives a variety of tables, many complex drawings based on the rules of geometry. He interprets the rhythmic basis of Oriental music with evidence. He described the rhythms, which are the units of percussion that make up the rhythms, and the dimensions and types of rhythms that are created based on the variety of rhythms formed from their combination.

The Great Book of Music not only describes the theory and history of music, but also details the musical instruments known in the East, such as the rubab, the tanbur, the nagara, the ud, the law, the nay, and the rules of playing them. It is said that Farobi himself was a skilled musician, composer, and inventor of a new musical instrument, in which he created extremely impressive melodies. Farobi regarded music as a means of educating human morality and strengthening health. His legacy in the field of music is of universal significance in the history of music culture.

Farobi was known as a great scientist of his time. Among the peoples of the East there are various stories and legends about him. Among the medieval scholars, Ibn Khalliqan, Ibn al-Qifti, Ibn Abi Usabi'a, and the Bayhaqi studied Farobi's work in their works and developed his ideas. In particular, Ibn Rushd not only studied al-Farabi's works, but also commented on them (al-Farabi's views on syllogism, Abu Nasr's commentary on logic, al-Farabi's various commentaries on his commentary on Organon, etc.). wrote. The formation of his philosophical teachings, known as Averroism, was originally associated with the activities of Farobi and Ibn Sina. Averroism is widespread as a progressive trend that represents scientific trends and has influenced the worldview of many advanced thinkers of the Renaissance.

Progressive humanity respects Farobi's work and deeply studies his legacy. European scholars BM Strenschneider, Carra de Vo, TU Buur, R. Hammond, R. de Erlanje, F. Deteritsi, G. Farmer, N. Rishar, G. Ley, Eastern scholars Nafisi, Umar Farrukh, Turker, M. Mahdi and others have made significant contributions to the study of Farobi's legacy. In recent years, a number of studies and works have been published on his work and teachings.

There are streets, schools and libraries named after Farobi in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

 

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"Stars of Spirituality" (Abdulla Qodiri National Heritage Publishing House, Tashkent, 1999) taken from his book.