Ibn Rushd’s Rational Reconstruction of al-Ghazālī’s Critique

A Philosophical Study of Tahāfut al-Tahāfut

Abstract

This article examines Tahāfut al-Tahāfut by Ibn Rushd as a rational reconstruction of al-Ghazālī's critique in Tahāfut al-Falāsifah. The study aims to analyze how Ibn Rushd deconstructs, reevaluates, and systematically reorganizes the philosophical arguments questioned by al-Ghazālī, focusing on three main issues: the eternity of the world, God's knowledge of particulars, and the relationship between reason, revelation, and Sharia. The primary objective is to demonstrate that Tahāfut al-Tahāfut is not merely a rebuttal of al-Ghazālī but also a philosophical project to restore the legitimacy of reason within Islamic epistemology and to affirm the coherence between philosophy and Sharia. This study employs a qualitative method through library research, analyzing primary texts—Tahāfut al-Falāsifah and Tahāfut al-Tahāfut—and relevant secondary literature in Islamic philosophy. A critical-comparative and philosophical-hermeneutical approach is used to trace the argumentative structures of both thinkers, while evaluating the intellectual context of their debate, particularly the epistemological differences between Ash‘ari theology and Aristotelian rationalism adopted by Ibn Rushd. The findings indicate that Ibn Rushd presents a systematic rational critique, showing that many of al-Ghazālī’s objections stemmed from misinterpretations of philosophical concepts. Tahāfut al-Tahāfut functions as a reconstructive effort to reaffirm philosophy as an essential tool for understanding reality and supporting rational religious interpretation. The study concludes that the debate reflects a productive epistemological dialogue, demonstrating that reason and revelation are complementary in achieving a comprehensive understanding of truth.

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