Refinement Of Character Tahdhīb Al Akhlāq

Refinement Of Character Tahdhīb Al Akhlāq

Author: Ibn Miskawayh

Year: 1899

Tahdhib al-akhlaq (Refinement of character) is a guide to practical conduct by the famous Iranian polymath Ibn Miskawayh (died 1030). It is considered a primary contribution to the field of ethics. Its origins are firmly rooted in Greek philosophy rather than in Islamic texts and traditions. In his philosophical writings, Ibn Miskawayh presents rational rather than scriptural arguments. Often associated by scholars with Neo-Platonist methods, the author makes frequent reference to Aristotle in discussing human nature, requirements for happiness, and the virtuous life. Ibn Miskawayh is sometimes categorized with Shia medieval philosophers, but he is universally heralded throughout the Muslim world, as exemplified by this rendering of the work by Egyptian editor 'Abd al-'Alim Salih, who dedicates the work to Ottoman sultan 'Abd al-Hamid II and to Egyptian ruler 'Abbas Hilmi Basha (1874-1944). The edition also includes a preface by a prominent jurist of al-Azhar, a further testament to the widespread appeal of Ibn Miskawayh's writings in the Islamic world. The work was published in Cairo at al-Taraqqi Press. It is not a critical edition of the original. Rather, it gives the appearance