TERMINOLOGICAL APPARATUS OF ABU NASR AL-FARABI: THEOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS (BASED ON THE TREATISE ‘USUL ILM AT-TABIYAH’)

2024

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DOI 10.63051/kos.2024.3.377
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

This article examines one of Abu Nasr al-Farabi's treatises, ‘Maqalat ar-Rafiqa fi Usul ʿIlm at-Tabiʿa’ (commonly referred to as Usul ʿIlm at-Tabiʿa), which has been the focus of translation and research only since Kazakhstan gained independence. The study presents an analysis of religious terminology in the ‘Aql (mind)’ section of this treatise, including its translation from the source language Arabic into Kazakh and a theolinguistic analysis. The treatise discusses key components such as aql, nafs, and rukh, emphasizing their roles not only in the human body but also in the broader context of the environment. Al-Farabi integrates these concepts with religious texts, including the Quran and Hadith, and conducts an interdisciplinary analysis. This examination aims to elucidate the author's religious worldview, his stance towards religion, and his affiliation with a particular faith. The purpose of the article is to perform a theo- and linguistic analysis of the religious terminology in al-Farabi's Usul ʿIlm at-Tabiʿa. The study undertakes the following tasks: comparing the original Arabic text with its Kazakh translation; defining religious terms and concepts in the original text; comparing their use with key Islamic texts such as the Quran and Hadith; and conducting a theolinguistic analysis. The study reveals a comprehensive review of the section on mind in al-Farabi's treatise, identifies key terminology, performs a theolinguistic analysis, translates and interprets several terminological units used in both religious and non-religious contexts, and determines the place of aql in the legacy of the Second Teacher and his worldview.