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al-Fārābī
Muslim philosopher
Also known as: Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī, Alfarabius, Alpharabius, Avennasar, Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ṭarkhān ibn Awzalagh al-Fārābī, Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ṭarkhān ibn Uzalagh al-Fārābī
Quick Facts
- In full:
- Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ṭarkhān ibn Awzalagh (or Uzlugh) al-Fārābī
- Also called:
- Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī
- Latin name:
- Alpharabius (also spelled Alfarabius) or Avennasar
- Born:
- c. 878, Turkistan
- Died:
- c. 950, Damascus?
- Subjects Of Study:
- Greek philosophy
- political philosophy
al-Fārābī (born c. 878, Turkistan—died c. 950, Damascus?) was a Muslim philosopher, one of the preeminent thinkers of medieval Islam. He was regarded in the medieval Islamic world as the greatest philosophical authority after Aristotle. Very little is known of al-Fārābī’s life, and his ethnic origin is a matter of dispute. He eventually moved from Central Asia to Baghdad, where most of his works were written. Al-Fārābī was not a member of the court society, and neither did he work in the administration of the central government. In 942 he took up residence at the court of the prince Sayf ...(100 of 282 words)