Frank Griffel

Germany

Frank Griffel is a Professor of Religious Studies at Yale University in the United States, teaching courses on the history of Islamic thought, Islamic theology, and Islamic philosophy. Griffel studied philosophy, Arabic literature, and Islamic studies at universities in Göttingen (Germany), Damascus, Berlin, and London, and holds a PhD from the Freie Universität in Berlin. He worked as a research fellow at the Orient Institute of the German Oriental Society in Beirut, Lebanon, before moving on to his position at Yale.

His published works cover Al-Ghazali’s contribution to the development of Islamic theology and the history of philosophy; Griffel published German translations of works by Al-Ghazali (‘Faysal al-tafriqa’) and Ibn Rushd, namely his ‘Fasl al-maqal’. He also focuses on contemporary Muslim thought, the development of the judgment of apostasy in Islam, and the formation of post-classical philosophy in Islam. Moreover, Griffel is working on a long-term project to develop a comprehensive history of Islamic theology that can be used as a textbook in college courses.

About The Book

The book sheds light on the key contributions of Islamic philosophy and its impact on subsequent developments in theology, science, and literature. It covers the developments that led to reshaping philosophical discourse in Islam during the 12th century. Griffel highlights figures who spoke in depth about philosophy in that era, delving into metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, and the intricate relationship between reason and revelation. One of the most innovative ideas expressed in the book is the combination of Greek philosophical ideas with Arab and Islamic schools of thought; it explains how scholars like Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina attempted to reconcile these diverse traditions. The book also reviews the figures and movements that influenced Islamic philosophy, making it a valuable contribution to understanding post-classical eras in Islamic philosophy.

Published: 2021