Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition

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al Fārābī
(2,896 words)

, Abū Naṣr Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. Tark̲h̲ān b. Awzalag̲h̲ ( uzlug̲h̲ ?), referred to as Alfarabius or Avennasar in medieval Latin texts. One of the most outstanding and renowned Muslim philosophers, he became known as the “second teacher”, the first being Aristotle.

i.— Life

Very little is known of al-Fārābī’s life. There neither exists an autobiography nor do we have any report by contemporaries. Al-Fārābī was of Turkish origin. He was born in Turkestan at Wasīd̲j̲ in the district of the city of Fārāb [q.v.] and is said to have died a…

Cite this page
Walzer, R., “al Fārābī”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 11 June 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0212>
First published online: 2012
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004161214, 1960-2007



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