What Ibn Rushd (Averroes) thinks about religion
Andalusian philosopher, judge and physician (1126 to 1198), born in Cordova; chief physician to the Almohad caliph in Marrakesh; best known for his commentaries on Aristotle.
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5 dated positions, c. 1126–1195, in their own words. Our reading of what Ibn Rushd (Averroes) has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Their wordsWe maintain that the business of philosophy is nothing other than to look into creation and to ponder over it in order to be guided to the Creator,—in other words, to look into the meaning of existence.
↗A Decisive Discourse on the Delineation of the Relation between Religion and Philosophy (tr. Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rehman, 1921)gutenberg.org All 8 from this book
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Our readingPhilosophical reasoning is no forbidden innovation just because it did not exist in early Islam
Their wordsOne cannot maintain that this kind of reasoning is an innovation in religion because it did not exist in the early days of Islam. For legal reasoning and its kinds are things which were invented also in later ages, and no one thinks they are innovations.
↗A Decisive Discourse on the Delineation of the Relation between Religion and Philosophy (tr. Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rehman, 1921)gutenberg.org All 8 from this book
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Their wordsWe say this, because temperaments differ in believing: one will believe through philosophy; while another will believe through dogmatic discourse, just as firmly as the former, as no other method appeals to his nature.
↗A Decisive Discourse on the Delineation of the Relation between Religion and Philosophy (tr. Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rehman, 1921)gutenberg.org All 8 from this book
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Our readingRational investigation does not contradict revealed law, because truth cannot contradict truth
Their wordsAs this Law is true and leads to the consideration of the knowledge of God, we Muslims should believe that rational investigation is not contrary to Law, for truth cannot contradict truth, but verifies it and bears testimony to it.
↗A Decisive Discourse on the Delineation of the Relation between Religion and Philosophy (tr. Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rehman, 1921)gutenberg.org All 8 from this book
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Our readingWhere scripture seems to oppose a truth proved by philosophy, it admits of interpretation
Their wordsWe hold it to be an established truth that if the Law is apparently opposed to a truth proved by philosophy it admits of an interpretation according to the canons of the Arabic language.
↗A Decisive Discourse on the Delineation of the Relation between Religion and Philosophy (tr. Mohammad Jamil-ur-Rehman, 1921)gutenberg.org All 8 from this book