Introduction
A Cordoba native, Averroes or Ibn Rushd, came from a family of prominent judges and jurists. Some of Averroes’s works explore the relationship between Islam and philosophy as well as the association of theology and philosophy. For example, the Decisive Treatise is a critical text for understanding legal opinions made for Malikite jurists in the Almohad period. Belo’s “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise” explains that the Decisive Treatise was created to establish the legitimacy of rational and philosophical inquiry as a compulsory part of Islam and law (Belo 295). Therefore, it is crucial to reflect on the main ideas of Rushd’s text to understand the relationship between philosophy and religion.
Summary
Interpretation of the Inner and Apparent Meaning
Averroes argues that religious texts can be divided into an inner and apparent meaning. The apparent meaning of religious texts requires no interpretation since they should be read and understood at face value. In contrast, the inner meaning implies that the hidden meaning is interpreted by philosophers who use the demonstrative method. Those who understand the demonstration method are compelled to analyze the apparent text figuratively. However, such interpretation is forbidden for those who do not understand the concept of philosophy. A person with no knowledge of law or religion cannot be excused for errors in interpretation. When thinking about God, many people relate God with places or refer to Him in a corporeal manner, as explained in the “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise” (Belo 287). If the wider society or rhetorical class members ask about religious verses that can be analyzed figuratively, they should be told that “none knows their interpretation but God” (133). Philosophers often fail to agree on the metaphorical interpretation, although they confirm that the verses need to be interpreted.
Furthermore, other religious texts are complicated, and although interpretation may not be needed, when learned Muslims erroneously interpret them, they are excused. Averroes provides the example of the verses describing the existence of the next life, which Ashʿarites interpret in the literal sense. In such a case, Quran readers must accept the presence of the next life since denying it can be identified as unbelief. In addition, when those who are not philosophers or do not understand the demonstrative method interpret religious verses, they commit unbelief because they must take the verses in the apparent sense. In contrast, people belonging to the demonstrative class must divulge hidden text meanings to others according to the “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise” (Belo 288). However, demonstrative books should not be written in easily accessible styles to avoid causing religious divides and factions due to corrupted interpretations.
The Three Methods of Assent
The goal of Islam is believing in God and following His commandments, and it can be achieved through the three methods of assent. The methods include the rhetorical, the dialectical, and the demonstrative. The demonstrative is the preferred method of philosophers, which involves utilizing Aristotelian logic and the analysis of ancient sciences to help understand the Quran. The rhetorical and dialectical methods are the most common, with the rhetorical suiting people with informal education as elucidated in the “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise” (Belo 288). Nevertheless, the dialectical method is popular among theologians and requires a limited interpretation of religious texts suitable to most people.
Analysis
The Decisive Treatise asks questions about philosophy from a legal perspective and has some textual echoes. Textual echoes can be moments in a text that the author wants people to debate about. One example of a textual echo is the need for philosophy and political reform as Rushd tried to advance Almohad policies by invoking the assistance of religious scholars. Rushd wanted such scholars to understand that Greek philosophy and wisdom could guide interpreting Islamic law. In a similar statement, Ayesha Omar argues for the importance of philosophy and reform in Islamic principles as depicted in Ibn Rushd’s The Decisive Treatise: A Text for Political Reform (Omar 131). Omar’s corroboration of Rushd’s ideas shows that philosophy can guide Islamic law interpretation.
Averroes states that logic promotes the knowledge of God as legal reasoning study enhances the knowledge of the law. Campanini’s text, Averroes, the “Decisive Treatise”: The Connection Between Islamic Religious Law and Philosophy, argues that people should have a mastery of logic to provide the best arguments (Campanini 27). However, scholars need predecessors to study their works and perfect their syllogistic arguments. In this realm lies the problem that religious traditionalists can use to attack Averroes’s views. Belo’s text, “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise”, explains that sometimes, if people with a low mental ability read philosophy, they fail to understand concepts because they lack a teacher to guide them, making them go astray (Belo 280). For instance, I read web programming without an instructor using online open resources, but I failed to understand critical concepts because I lacked expert guidance. As a result, religious traditionalists who prefer orthodox methods may refute Averroes’s ideas due to potential misinterpretation.
Averroes argues that those with less knowledge of understanding philosophy should refrain from reading demonstrative books. He goes on to indicate that common people should only use the apparent meaning of religious texts. Reflecting on interpretation, I have realized that I may have interpreted some texts inaccurately. In the past, I have tried to read and understand the Quran from an analytical perspective. However, I realize now that I am not a philosopher; therefore, I should accept the apparent meaning to avoid becoming an unbeliever. Averroes offers a potential solution to misinterpretation, but religious traditionalists can argue that less knowledgeable persons such as theologians may attempt to interpret verses using the demonstrative method, resulting in different and flawed viewpoints of the scripture. The argument in this context references the ability to prevent common people from developing flawed interpretations of the Quran if they use figurative means according to the “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise” (Belo 275). As a result, religious factions emerge, creating dissent among Islamic communities.
In addition, Averroes explains and acknowledges the errors that are associated with interpretation. Philosophers with knowledge in their discipline should be excused when they interpret erroneously. Religious traditionalists can worry about the impact of misguided interpretation on the understanding of religious texts. Although he claims that the common people should only concern themselves with the apparent meaning, there are devastating effects on those who read demonstrative texts written using an easily accessible language. Misguided views may spread and become the norm in Islamic society. Even after a consensus to determine the allegorical interpretation of the Quran after a contradiction between the text and philosophy, religious traditionalists may argue that there is no way to know if the metaphorical analysis is accurate. Averroes argues that the apparent meaning should be closely related to the inner meaning; however, multiple allegorical meanings can be related to the apparent meaning as explained in “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise” (Belo 290). While Averroes provides exceptional analysis of the role of philosophy in religious texts and law, it is clear that philosophy faces the problem of misinterpretation just like other disciplines.
Some Quran verses support Averroes’s opinions since he used many of them to back up his ideas. For example, Averroes believes that Islam is open to all people except the negligent and the stubborn. A quote that supports Averroes’s opinion is “call to the path of your Lord by wisdom, fine preaching, and arguing with them by means of what is finest” (128). On the other hand, Averroes’s ideas can be seen as the vindication of the right to debate and free discussion in religious matters. Averroes’s arguments refute the criticisms against Aristotelian philosophy through an academic debate as elucidated in the Medieval Political Philosophy: A Sourcebook (Parens and Macfarland 129). Therefore, a free discussion is encouraged among reputable scholars and philosophers with knowledge of religious matters.
Conclusion
It is critical to reflect on the Decisive Treatise to understand how philosophy relates to Islam. Averroes’s short text defends philosophy despite criticisms from multiple sources. Averroes intended to depict that philosophy is a crucial element of the Islamic discipline and culture. The text analysis can be explored from the lens of three methods of assent and the differences in interpretation. Averroes stresses that the most important part of philosophical reasoning is the demonstrative method. Philosophers can interpret religious texts metaphorically, but common people must accept their meaning at face value. Averroes’s Decisive Treatise represents an influential text on the significance of practicing philosophy in Islam.
Works Cited
Belo, Catarina. “Averroes (d. 1198), The Decisive Treatise.” The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy. 2nd ed., edited by Khaled El-Rouayheb and Sabine Schmidtke, Oxford UP, 2017, pp. 278-295.
Campanini, Massimo, editor. Averroes, the “Decisive Treatise”: The Connection Between Islamic Religious Law and Philosophy. Gorgias P, 2017.
Omar, Ayesha. “Ibn Rushd’s The Decisive Treatise: A Text for Political Reform.” The Medieval History Journal, vol. 22, no. 1, 2019, pp. 131-155.
Parens, Joshua, and Joseph C. Macfarland, editors. Medieval Political Philosophy: A Sourcebook. Cornell UP, 2011.