In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

Since the publication of our article, The Reality of Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Famous Scientist and Philosopher, many people have been asking for more detailed proofs that Ibn Sina was not actually a Muslim, specifically from his own beliefs.

This article provides more detailed proof about his specific beliefs from the writings of one of the most amazing scholars in Islamic history, Ibn Qayyim al-Jowziyyah (d.751), may Allaah have Mercy on him.

After Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned that Aboo Nasr al-Faaraabee (or Al-Farabi), like Ibn Sina, was upon an extreme deviation of the concepts promoted by Aristotle, including disbelief in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, he went on to say:

Perhaps an ignorant person might say that we have dealt too harshly with them, ascribing them to disbelief in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. This is not far-fetched for someone who is ignorant of both their writings and the reality of true Islaamic teachings.

[Disbelief in Allaah]

You should know: According to the teachings of the best of the modern philosophers, their voice, and their role model whom they prefer over the Messengers themselves, Aboo ‘Alee Ibn Sina, Allaah – Glorified and Exonorated above their claims – is merely one who exists in a general way, without having a single attribute, nor any chosen actions at all. He does not know anything about the universe at all. He does not know how many planets there are, nor does he know anything of the unseen. He does not speak, nor does He have any attribute at all (in their beliefs).

It should be clearly known that this concept is (that Allaah is) just an imaginary idea in one’s mind, having no reality. Its most apparent manifestation of this is when a person thinks of it and defines it in his mind, as he would imagine other theoretical concepts. This is certainly not the Lord to whose Way the Messengers called, the One whom the previous nations knew of.

The real Lord of the universe, the God of the Messengers, is clearly not this “lord” whom the heretics call to, stripping him of any real presence and any attribute or action, claiming he is neither part of the universe, nor beyond it, nor having any connection at all to it, nor being seperate from it, nor being in front of it or above it, nor on the left or right, etc. The difference between the two is like the difference between existence and non-existence, like the difference between affirming something and negating it (i.e. complete opposites)!

In fact, anything that could possibly exist would be more complete than this “god” who the heretics call to, the one their intellects have carved, while real carved idols have a real existence and this “lord” does not. He can only exist within the imagination!

All of this is the case, while these heretics are more correct than their original teacher, Aristotle, since they affirm an essential existence (for Allaah) and a contigent existence (for the creation), the essential existence being the reason for the existence of the contigent one and that which decreed the existence of it. (i.e. a philosophical way to affirm the existence of a Creator who has actions). Yet, Aristotle only affirmed that He was a logical base for the existence of plurality (in the universe) and a hidden force behind the movement of the planets. He expressly denied that He knows anything or that He does anything by His Choice.

His later narrated teachings found in the more modern books (of philosophy) were merely concocted by Ibn Sina. He tried very hard to combine his predecessor’s blasphemy with the Religion of Islaam. The closest thing he managed to accomplish was to endorse the worst and most deviant teachings of the extreme Jahmiyyah. The Jahmiyyah, with all of their extreme negations (of Allaah’s Attributes and Actions), had a more grounded approach and more correct opinions than those people (Ibn Sina and his likes). This is what can be said about their beliefs in Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.

[Disbelief in the Angels]

Regarding the angels, they (the philosophers) do not know about or believe in the Angels. According to them, the Angels were merely figures of the Prophet’s imagination, just some abstract light-based shapes. They believe Angels were mental beings, having no existence in or outside of this realm, not above the sky, nor beneath it. To them, they were not beings that move, ascend, descend, control anything, or say anything. They do not record the people’s deeds, nor do they have any awareness or movement at all. They do not move from place to place nor line up in rows for Allaah, nor do they pray. They have no interaction with the affairs of this world, they do not take the souls of the dead, nor do they write people’s (pre-ordained) sustenance, lifespan, or deeds (in the womb). Nor are they sitting (as witnesses) on the right and left (of a person). None of these things have any reality at all, according to them.

Some of them inched towards Islaam by saying that the Angels are the inner inclination to do good within a person, while the devils are the inner inclination to do evil. This notion was held only by the ones who moved toward Islaamic beliefs and approached (the teachings of) the Messengers.

[Disbelief in the Books of Revelation]

Regarding the Books (of Revelation), they did not believe Allaah has any speech sent down to earth by Angels. Instead, they believed Allaah has not spoken a word, and that He does not speak, nor is it even possible for Him to speak.

Those of them who tried to approach (the Religion of) the Muslims would say that revelation is a flow of energy into a purified and virtuous individual, who would then comprehend the ideas (within that flow of energy) and put them together internally by interpreting them as voices addressing him. Sometimes the individual would be so spiritually involved that he would imagine shapes of light talking to him. Others would become so spiritually involved they could even make the people around them believe they also see and hear the address. Externally, none of this (internal spirituality) has any reality to it (according to them).

[Disbelief in the Messengers]

Regarding the Prophets and Messengers, prophethood according to them is gained from three special characteristics. Whoever possesses them is a prophet:

1) Strong intuition, which would allow one to get to the core of issues quickly.

2) Powerful imagination and a strong ability to cast imaginary ideas, so that one could imagine the shapes of light addressing him, hear them, and lead others to (seeing and hearing) them.

3) Ample ability to manipulate the molecular structure of things in this world, through an ability to detach oneself from all connections to this world to make a connection to the esoteric plains of independent intelligent beings (i.e. Angels).

They believe that these special characteristics can be sought and obtained (by anyone). The soofees who seek to attain prophethood remain upon this way, like Ibn Sab’een, Ibn Hood, and their likes. According to them, prophethood is a career, like leadership. In fact, to them it is common political leadership, one that many of them do not want. They say: Philosophy is the most elite kind of prophethood, while regular prophethood can be shared by anyone.

[Disbelief in the Hereafter]

As for the Last Day, they do not believe the heavens will become torn apart, the planets will fall from their places, or that the people will be physically resurrected. They do not even believe that Allaah created the heavens and the earth in six days, nor do they believe that He brought the universe into existence from nothing.

[In Conclusion]

Thus, they have no (belief in a) beginning nor an end, nor do they believe in a Creator or any prophethood. No book was sent down from above the heavens with which Allaah spoke, nor did any Angels bring anything down as revelation from Allaah, the Most High.

Having said that, the religions of the Jews and Christians after their abrogation and distortion are in fact better and less offensive than the religion of such people.

It should be enough for you to realize how ignorant a person is about Allaah, the Most High, and His Names, Attributes, and Actions that he says: Had Allaah known about the details of all things in existence He would have become fatigued and tired! Also, he would have become more complete through this knowledge (had He known it). It should also be sufficient to know just how misled, astray, and blind those who follow after them are, thinking so highly of them, and believing them to be people of true intellect!

Their ignorance and misguidance is enough to shock you, that they say beings go on in succession (i.e. generation after generation) indefinitely, and that the world came into existence through forces of intelligence that go back in time until there was only one being, alone, having no knowledge of the only other singular (seperate) thing it would initiate, nor any power over it, nor any will to do anything with it! The very basis of their argument crumbles when you consider if that one thing which was initiated was not absolutely singular. And even if it were actually singular in all aspects, that would necessitate that it (the creating force behind the universe) only initiated one thing similar to itself.

The multitudes of things in existence clearly disprove this concept, one that intelligent people laugh at and people of understanding make fun of. And all of this is from the mixed-up ideas of Ibn Sina and his attempts to blend these concepts into the Islaamic Legislation.

There are many more examples (of disbelief that could be mentioned). Despite it all, their original teacher (Aristotle) did not even affirm a creator for this universe!

Thus, the man (Ibn Sina) was a denier (of Allaah’s Attributes), a polytheist, a rejecter of matters related to prophethood and the Ma’aad (the Last Day), having no belief in the beginning or the end of creation, nor any belief in a messenger or a book.

[End of Ibn al-Qayyim’s words.]

Source: Eghaathat al-Lahfaan (2/279-282 of the Muhammad Haamid Faqee printing).

Now perhaps it is very clear why our scholars have spoken so harshly against Ibn Sina, declaring him outside of Islaam, even labelling those who would praise and promote him as a Muslim scientist (knowing his reality) to be outside of Islaam. (as found here)

And Allaah knows best.

Translated and prepared by: Moosaa Richardson

rev.QM