البعث الجسماني دراسة لتصورات ابن سينا الطبية والفلسفية

Abstract

This thesis addresses Ibn Sina’s medical and philosophical perspective of the physical resurrection of human beings. Although the cultural factors in the Islamic eras have contributed a lot in discussing such an issue in detail, still modern history, from time to time, explores the philosophical trends of the researchers who are interested in studying the metaphysical issues which are related to human body and psyche. The issue of resurrection is one of the principles that are connected to the belief system in Islam. Such an issue was so controversial that heavenly religions and the Greek as well as the Muslim philosophers have differed, according to their perspective, in explaining its nature and how it happens. This explains why such an issue remained one of the most important topics in human history in general, and in Islam in particular, because of the big enormous differences between theologians and philosophers in understanding the issue. Ibn Sina’s, 428-371 A.H, is one of the philosophers who witnessed the greatest times of the Islamic civilization. His discussion of the issue of resurrection, his philosophical opinions and his books have had a great impact on scholars in the east and the west. His understanding of such an issue was much affected by his medical and philosophical understanding of human body and the real nature of the human psyche. He held a unique position among the Muslim physicians and philosophers and he was given a number of honorific titles: “The Sheik, the president.” He is considered a medical and philosophical unique phenomenon from which Europe, in the middle ages, benefited a lot especially from his book: “The Law in Medicine”. This book is considered the biggest medical encyclopedia in the middle ages since it was a big reference in surgeries, diagnosis and prescriptions that focused on human body. Yet, those who studied Ibn Sina in the east tackled only his philosophical contributions and ignored the medical aspects which had a great impact on his useful thinking heritage. This thesis aims to clarify the nature of Ibn Sina’s thinking and belief system which was unfairly accused of being a disbeliever, ignoring the historical aspect and the nature of “the era of the Muslim Sages”, as described by al Bayhaqi. His deep knowledge in medicine and philosophy was a matter of personal speculation that did not reach the point of denying the physical resurrection but he rationalized it based on his logical assumptions.