Philosophy in Quran
Ali Mahjur, an Iranian researcher in philosophy, notes that there is no contradiction between this philosophy and the Quran. Here is a summary of his discussion:
There is no reference to the word philosophy in the Quran. Philosophy started to grow around 400 BC with the opinions of Socrates and hence, it was some 1,000 years that this field existed when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was appointed by God as His messenger. However, this word has not been used in the Quran. Accordingly, some people may say that there is no relation between the Quran and philosophy but the fact is that the underlying concepts of the Quran are more important than what is apparent at the first glance.
The Quran uses another word that was synonymous with philosophy at the time in the Arab world and this word is Hikmat.
The word Himat has been used 20 times in the Quran. As Al-Raghib al-Isfahani wrote in his book Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran, Hikmat refers to achieving truth through knowledge and intellect; so Hikmat is neither the intellect nor the knowledge alone, rather it is a product of applying knowledge and intellect. The Quran also refers to this meaning when pointing to this word. The application of this word in the Holy Quran reminds us of the meaning of philosophy in the works of Plato. For instance, verse 269 of Surah Al-Baqarah reads: “He gives wisdom to whom He will, and he who is given wisdom has been given a lot of good. Yet none will remember except the owners of minds.” The verse clearly says that Hikmat is bestowed by God Almighty and that it is a source of goodness. These two features are also present in what Plato defines as philosophy.
Furthermore, intellect and intellectuality, and knowledge are requirements of a philosophical approach. The Quran points to these philosophical requirements in numerous instances. These requirements lead the readers toward philosophy. When reading the Quran from the start to the end, one will notice that the Holy Book invites all to think deeper and seek knowledge once in every few pages. This reader will inadvertently be led toward philosophy. In addition, the main topics of the Quran overlap with the most important topics of philosophy. God, spirituality, human, knowledge, and ethics are among the common issues between the Quran and philosophy.
