Averroes

The eminent theologian faced criticism for his views on philosophy and religion from the members of ‘Asharite’ school of Islamic theology. His works were burned and he was forbidden by the caliphate to enter Marrakesh, or present day Morocco. However the year before his death, the ban was lifted.

Averroes breathed his last on December 10, 1198 in Marrakesh and has left behind a legacy in the form of ‘Averroism’ school of Islamic philosophy.

The Egyptian film director Youssef Chahine portrayed the story of Averroes in his 1997 film ‘Destiny’.

Ibn Rushd, or Averroes as he is popularly known, was the grandson of Abu Al-Walid Muhammad and son of Abu Al-Qasim, both of whom were practitioners of law under the Berber dynasty of Almoravids, and born in Córdoba, Spain on April 14, 1126.

The young Averroes received education from the finest teachers in subjects that ranged from theology and Hadith to linguistics and law. He studied medicine under the tutelage of Abu Jafar ibn Harun al-Turjali.

He started his career in the court of the ruler from Almohad dynasty Abu Yaqub Yusuf. The king was a patron of science and philosophy and Ibn Zuhr who was a renowned doctor was the court physician. Averroes befriended Ibn Zuhr and the latter took him under his wing.

His prowess in the field of medicine was established when he published ‘Kitab al-Kulyat fi al-Tibb’.

It was at the court of Abu Yaqub, that Ibn first authored a commentary on the works of Aristotle, the Greek philosopher. His thoughts on religion and philosophy were also moulded by the works of philosopher Ibn Bajjah.

Dedicated to studies of various philosophical works that continued for the next three decades, he developed a new school of thought that was named ‘Averroism’.

He was appointed the judge of Seville province in 1160 and following this appointment Averroes donned the responsibility in many other courts throughout his life.

Ibn Rushd most famous work on philosophy is the book titled ‘The Incoherence of the Incoherence’. This was his most important piece of writing that revived the Aristotelian philosophy in the West, during the 12th and 13th century. His work was a retort on Al-Ghazali’s work ‘The Incoherence of the Philosophers’ that denounced ‘Aristotelianism’.