The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (121 page)

(
c.
870–950 (AH 257–339)).
A philosopher-mystic of Turkish origin who lived during the height of
‘Abb
sid
rule in Baghd
d. His philosophy contained elements of Aristotelanism, Platonism, and
Sufism
. Al-F
r
b
wrote on many diverse subjects. Among Muslim philosophers he is considered the Second Teacher (
al-mu‘allim ath-th
ni
) after Aristotle. Al-F
r
b
's chief work,
Attainment of Happiness
, defends the basis of
revelation
(i.e.
prophecy
) against the strong attacks of such free-thinkers as Al-Rawand
.
He reconciled the various modes of human reflection and enquiry by dividing the intellect (the extension of Being into the human) into three: the active intellect, the potential intellect and the acquired intellect. In this way he could affirm the equal validity of many human arts and skills. His
Kit
b al-Musiqa
(The Book of Music) laid the foundations for an Islamic theory of music, drawing attention to relations between mathematics and music; and his
Risalah fi ara’ ahl al Madina al-fadilah
(Treatise on the … Virtuous City) was widely influential in the development of political science.

 
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(known as Rif, 1013–1103).
N. African codifier of Jewish law. His
Sefer ha-Halakhot
(Book of the Commandments) was the best known code before the
Mishneh Torah
(Second Law Code) of
Maimonides
. It was much admired. Joseph
Caro
regarded Alfasi, Maimonides, and
Asher b. Jehiel
as the three pillars of learning on which Judaism rested, and he used their work as a foundation for his own
Shul
n Arukh
(Arranged Table).