Fakhr al-Din al-Razi 1149 – 1209
Fakhr al-Din al-Razi was a Persian Sunni theologian, philosopher, and exegete of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries and one of the most prolific Islamic intellectuals of his era. His vast Commentary on the Quran, the Mafatih al-Ghayb, drew systematically on philosophical sources to interpret the sacred text and remains influential. His Eastern Discussions and Sublime Pursuits engaged Avicennan philosophy with critical rigor while defending the broad framework of Ash'arite theology. He stood at the meeting point of falsafa and kalam in the Islamic tradition.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Persian
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Islamic, Medieval
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:
“Doubt is the beginning of certainty.”
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Attributed to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:
“Reason is the foundation of all genuine theology.”
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Attributed to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:
“The truths of religion and the truths of philosophy converge.”
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Attributed to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:
“Anyone who reflects deeply on the world will find the traces of God.”
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Attributed to Fakhr al-Din al-Razi:
“Inquiry is a religious duty for those whom God has given the capacity to inquire.”