Abstract:

The creation of the universe is one of the most important problems discussed by philosophers throughout the history of philosophy. Peripatetic Islamic philosophers such as al-Fârâbî and Avicenna have internalized the emanation theory, which was formerly put forward by the ancient Greek philosopher Plotinus and reinterpreted this theory according to the principle of tawhid of Islam. According to the theory of emanation, the universe is necessarily overflowed (flooded) due to God's own goodness, perfection and abundance. al-Fârâbî and Avicenna alleged that the universe was without beginning with the theory of emanation. Their thoughts about the both theory of emanation and without beginning of universe caused debates among the Islamic philosophers. After al-Fârâbî and Avicenna, some philosophers such as Ghazali and Ibn Taymiyye have criticized that the theory is neither Islamic nor scientific by claiming that the theory of emanation is contrary to the idea that God created universe by the free will of himself. The criticisms directed to the theory of emanation have revealed different opinions about creation among the Islamic philosophers after Ghazali. Some philosophers criticized al-Fârâbî and Avicenna the theory of emanation by concider that contrary to the idea of creation out of nothing and the Islamic teachings. At the same time some of them also thought that the theory of emanation is not a theory that is fundamentally opposite to the creation out of nothing. In this work which will be addressed that discussions on the creation and function of the universe It will focus on their assessments about realm of the universe the approaches of Islamic philosophers such as Averroes, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Suhrawardî to the theory of emanation in the historical process after Ghazali.

Keywords: