Maṣāriʿ as a Counterexample

This article studies Ṭūsī’s conception of the proper philosophical method according to his critique of Shahrastānī’s Kitāb al-Muṣāraʿa in the Maṣāriʿ al-muṣāriʿ . That conception provides a counterexample for three misconceptions of the entity called ‘Islamic philosophy’. The first, introductory section summarizes the three grand narratives about philosophy in the Islamicate world: the dismissive, the mystifying, and the dogmatic. Then the books of Shahrastānī and Ṭūsī are introduced. The main part of the article gives an account and analysis of the relevant passages in Ṭūsī’s work. Some elements of Ṭūsī’s philosophical method discussed include the role of observation, cognitive humility, reliance on logic and demonstrative reasoning, and distinguishing the philosophical discourse from religious speech, mystical and poetic discourse. In the conclusion, the evidence is summarized to show how the book is a counterexample for the three misconceptions.