Aristotelian Physics in pre-modern Arabic Philosophy Maghreb

• Applicant: Ibrahim Safri
• Subject Area: History of Philosophy
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 556877100

I set out to prove the enduring practice of philosophy in the Maghreb. The initial perspective of the project reveals new data about the reception of Aristotle’s Physics in the Maghreb in the pre-modern period through Avicenna and al-Rāzī. This research expands our understanding of the reception of Aristotle’s Physics in Arabic philosophy by particularly focusing on the views on motion, time, and space articulated by some Maghrebi thinkers in the period under consideration. The focus of the project lies on Maghrebi thinkers, such as Ibn ʿArafa (d. 1401), al-Yūsī (d. 1691), al-Fāsī (d. 1696), and al-Wallālī (d. 1716). By investigating how these scholars interpreted the elements of Aristotle’s Physics and potentially incorporated the kalām atomistic concepts, developed in Islamic philosophy and theology, this project aims to reveal the unique interpretations. This fresh perspective has the potential to enrich our understanding of the reception and further development of ancient philosophy in later Arabic philosophy. Furthermore, the project’s focus on kalām atomism provides significant improvements to our understanding of the reception of Aristotle’s Physics in the Arabic tradition. It challenges the dominant narrative surrounding the reception of Aristotle’s Physics and sheds light on a previously overlooked facet of Maghreb’s natural philosophy. By exploring how kalām atomism might have influenced the understanding of motion, time, and space, the research promises to offer new insights into these fundamental concepts and potentially reshape our understanding of the development of scientific thought in Arabic philosophy. In addition, my research aims to bridge the missing piece in our understanding between pre-modern and early modern Arabic philosophy. This gap exists despite a wealth of scholarship on Avicenna’s reception in the Middle East and the exploration of various philosophical notions during the pre-modern period. By focusing on this previously neglected period, my project will offer new data and insights into a significant region and intellectually fertile era in the development of Arabic philosophy. The project transcends the scope of mere reformulating and summarizing the established ideas and the issue already solved. Rather, I aim to undertake an analysis of the notions of motion, time, and space to significantly contribute to the field. To conclude, it remains to be seen whether this period was one of intellectual stagnation in the rational sciences at large, and in Maghreb in particular. This project therefore is important for two reasons. The project will make an important intervention in the historiography of philosophy by tackling these three significant topics in natural philosophy in pre-modern Arabic philosophy. As indicated above, no study to date has touched on these topics. On the philosophical side, a study of these works during this late period is crucial for understanding the development of these philosophical notions.

• DFG Programme: WBP Fellowship
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Host: Professorin Dr. Ursula Coope