logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
56m 50s

Neoplatonism in Islamic Thought

FILIP HOLM
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Oct 24
The Occult King Solomon in Islam
In this episode, we explore Solomon as an occult authority in the Islamicate world: from the Quranic stories of Sulayman commanding the jinn and the winds, to the legendary Seal of Solomon, to his role in Islamic magic, talismans, letter science (ʿilm al-ḥurūf), and grimoires. We ... Show More
34m 40s
Oct 17
Satan in Sufism
Iblis (Satan) refused to bow to Adam, and the Qur’an condemns him for it. But some of the most daring Sufi mystics read that refusal very differently: as the act of a perfect monotheist and a tragic lover who would not bow to anything but God, even at the cost of eternal separati ... Show More
37m 25s
Oct 10
Anqa - Arabic Folklore's Most Elusive Creature
What is the Anqa? In this episode we explore the Anqa (عنقاء), the elusive, legendary bird of Arabic and Islamic tradition, often compared to the phoenix and the Persian Simurgh. We look at its origins in pre-Islamic Arabian lore, the story of how it vanished from the world, and ... Show More
31m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2018
History of Islamic Theology
This episode we trace the emergence of orthodoxy in Islamic thought. Starting with the debates about predestination and the nature of the Qu’ran we mark the development of Islamic theology from the writings of Hasan i Basri and the Qadarites or Qadiriyyah to the formation of the ... Show More
43m 35s
Nov 2010
Ibn 'Arabi's Joseph: Imagination as Holy Communion
Todd Lawson, PhD, teaches Islamic Thought at the University of Toronto. His interests include the Qur'an and its interpretation over time, Islamic Gnosis, Shi'ism and its later developments such as the Babi and Bahai religions. He has published numerous articles on these and othe ... Show More
39m 17s
Dec 2021
209. Islam and the Possibilities of Peace | Mohammed Hijab
This episode was recorded on November 10th, 2021. In this episode, philosopher Mohammed Hijab joined me to discuss a wide array of topics, such as the traditionalist interpretation of Islam, its metanarrative, the story of the prophet Muhammad, and some common ground among monot ... Show More
1h 36m
Apr 2014
Episode #019 ... Three Islamic Truths
On this episode of the podcast, we discuss the nature of truth and examine it through the lenses of three Islamic philosophers who each had a different approach to truth seeking. We first discuss Al Kindi and what he would have to say about modern day news organizations and their ... Show More
32m 11s
Jan 2018
Al Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyyah
In our last episode of the season we wrap up the intellectual history of Islam by examining how the orthodoxies that we discussed in the previous episode were popularized. We talk about the emerging class of legal scholars called the ulema, the madhabs of Hanafi, Maliki, Shaif, a ... Show More
51m 27s
Jan 2007
"Whoever knows himself..." in the Futuhat
James W. Morris is professor in Theology at Boston College. He has written and taught in many areas of spirituality and religious thought, including the Islamic humanities, Islamic philosophy, Sufism, and cinema in spiritual teaching. His recent books include The Reflective Heart ... Show More
1h 2m