The Originality of Islamic Philosophy Between the Influence of Greek Philosophy and Intellectual Independence: A Comparative Historical and Critical Study

Abstract

This research examines the authenticity of Islamic philosophy by studying its origins, sources, and relationship with Greek philosophy, aiming to clarify the independence and uniqueness of Islamic philosophical thought. The issue of Islamic philosophy has been widely debated among scholars; some consider it merely an imitation of Greek philosophy, while others argue that it represents an independent philosophical tradition that emerged within the Islamic intellectual environment and was influenced by Islamic revelation and human reasoning.
The study adopts a historical, critical, and comparative methodology by tracing the development of Islamic philosophy, analyzing different scholarly perspectives regarding its originality, and comparing it with Greek philosophical traditions. It also explores the main sources of Islamic philosophy, including the Qur’an, Sunnah, Eastern cultures, and Greek philosophy, explaining how Muslim philosophers interacted with previous philosophical heritage and integrated it into an Islamic intellectual framework.
Furthermore, the research discusses the major fields of Islamic philosophy, including theology, human and social existence, material existence, epistemology, and ethics. These fields reflect Islamic philosophy’s concern with fundamental questions related to God, the universe, human nature, knowledge, and moral values. The study concludes that Islamic philosophy possesses distinctive characteristics that establish its own identity, despite benefiting from Greek philosophical thought. It also highlights its central attempt to reconcile reason and revelation and to connect philosophical inquiry with religious, existential, and ethical issues.