James McGill Professor
-- on sabbatical until August 2025 -
I received my BA (1986) in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from Yale, and my MA (1990) and PhD (1994) in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton, where my supervisor was Prof. Hossein Modarressi. I then took up a Postdoctoral Research Assistantship (1994-1996) in Prof. Richard Sorabji¡¯s Ancient Commentators on Aristotle project, in the Philosophy Department of King¡¯s College London. My first teaching job was in the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department at Harvard, where I was Assistant Professor (1996-2002) and then Associate Professor (2002-2004) of Islamic Intellectual History. In 2004 I came to the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill, where I am currently?James McGill Professor of Islamic Philosophy.? I also served two terms as Director of the Institute, 2005-2008 and 2016-2018.
Research
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I specialize in the history of Islamic thought, with an emphasis on the origins, development and influence of the philosophy of Avicenna (Ibn S¨©n¨¡, d. 1037). Most of my publications fall into the following five areas:
1)? The Aristotelian, Neoplatonic and °ì²¹±ô¨¡³¾ antecedents to Avicenna¡¯s metaphysics and theory of the soul, and the evolution and interplay of Avicenna¡¯s most important metaphysical distinctions: his distinction between essence and existence, his distinction between mental existence and concrete existence, and his distinction between intrinsically necessary existence and extrinsically necessary existence (2000; 2001a; 2002a; 2003a; 2003b; 2005).
2) The complex processes by which Avicenna¡¯s metaphysical theories were appropriated by post-Avicennian Muslim mutakallim¨±n in order to solve long-standing theological problems, and then naturalized in the curricula of the institutions where they taught, all the way up to the late-19th century (2004a; 2004b; 2007a; 2009a; 2009b; 2009c; 2010a; 2011d; 2012a; 2013b; 2013d; 2014; 2018; 2022; In Preparation a; In Preparation b; In Preparation c).
3) Transmission, translation and transformation in medieval textual cultures, including the transmission of philosophical texts from Greek into Arabic (2001b; 2004c; 2011a; 2011b; 2011c; 2016c; 2016d).
4) The edition, translation and study of part of a remarkable codex housed in the library of the Madrasah-i Marw¨© in Tehran: two dozen philosophical treatises, thought to have been lost, by the Arabic Christian philosopher Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨© (d. 974), a student and colleague of the great Muslim philosopher al-F¨¡r¨¡b¨© (d. 950) (2012b; 2012c; 2013a; 2013c; 2014; 2015; 2016b; 2017a; 2017b; 2017c).
5) Collaborating in the development of an Optical Shape Recognition software that will automatically convert digital images of Arabic philosophical manuscripts into living text in Unicode format (2010b; 2011e; 2012d; 2012e).
Six of these publications have been translated into Turkish (2006a; 2006b; 2007b; 2010c; 2010e; 2018b), three into Persian (2010d; 2013e; 2019b), and two into Arabic (2016a; 2021a).
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Currently in preparation
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In Preparation a. Post-classical Arabic Philosophy, 1100-1900: Avicennian Metaphysics between Arabic Logic and Islamic Theology, under contract with Oxford University Press (Oxford) [Oxford History of Philosophy, ed. P. Momtchiloff]
In Preparation b. ¡°The commentaries on Avicenna¡¯s ±õ²õ³ó¨¡°ù¨¡³Ù: An analytical inventory¡± (with A. Gacek and R. Pourjavady)
In Preparation c.? Islamic Analytical Theology, Volume II: The Post-classical Period, ca. 1100-1900. A List of Authors and Works
?Grants and Fellowships
7) Principal Investigator, ¡°Mu?ammad ?Abduh's Supercommentary on al-Daw¨¡n¨©'s Commentary on al-?j¨©'s Creed: A New Source for the Renewal of Islamic Analytical Theology¡±, John Templeton Foundation (CDN$307,510; 2019-22).
6) Principal Investigator, ¡°Volume II: Post-classical Islamic Theology¡±, Kalam Research and Media (CDN$48,804: 2014-15)
5) Principal Investigator, ¡°Post-classical Islamic Philosophy Database Initiative¡±, Canada Foundation for Innovation: Leaders Opportunity Fund--Funding for Research Infrastructure Alone (CDN$1,526,000; 2008-2013).
4) Principal Investigator, ¡°Transmission, traduction et transformation dans les cultures m¨¦di¨¦vales¡±: Fonds Qu¨¦becois de la Recherche sur la Soci¨¦t¨¦ et Culture (FQRSC): Soutien aux ?quipes de Recherche (¨¦quipes en fonctionnement) (CDN$338,725; 2008-13).
3) Principal Investigator, ¡°Transmission, traduction et transformation dans les cultures m¨¦di¨¦vales¡±: Fonds Qu¨¦becois de la Recherche sur la Soci¨¦t¨¦ et Culture (FQRSC): Soutien aux ?quipes de Recherche (¨¦quipes en ¨¦mergence) (CDN$52,800; 2006-08).
2) Principal Investigator, ¡°Vehicles of Transmission, Translation and Transformation in Medieval Cultures¡±, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC): Aid to Workshops/Conferences (CDN$25,000; 2006-2007).
1) ACLS/SSRC/NEH International and Area Studies Fellow, American Council of Learned Societies (USD$30,000; 2003-04).
Publications
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List of publications (by year)
forthcoming ¡°Jal¨¡l al-D¨©n al-Daw¨¡n¨© and the Avicennian synthesis¡±, in U. Rudolph, ed., What is Philosophy in the Islamic World?, Berlin: De Gruyter
2022 ¡°Jam¨¡l al-D¨©n ?Al¨© ibn Sulaym¨¡n¡¯s Mi?r¨¡j al-Sal¨¡mah and Mi?b¨¡? al-?Irf¨¡n: Edition (with Introduction) of two early witnesses of the incorporation of Avicennian metaphysics into Im¨¡m¨©-Shiite °ì²¹±ô¨¡³¾¡± (with H. Ansari), Shii Studies Review 6/1-2 (2022), 340-380
2021 ¡°???? ?? ??????? ????????? ?? ??? ?????? ??????¡± (¡°J¨¡nib min al-mun?a?if al-s¨©naw¨© f¨© ?ilm al-°ì²¹±ô¨¡³¾ al-sunn¨©¡±, Arabic translation of 2004a, by H. Bouhad¨©), in Philosmus (al-Falsafah wa-al-?ul¨±m f¨© al-siy¨¡q¨¡t al-Isl¨¡miyyah) 4 (2021), 1-38
2020 ¡°Avicenna y la tradic¨ªon aviceniana¡± (Spanish translation of 2005, by J.R. Abuchedid), Tras la palabra?|?
2019b ¡°??? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? : ????? ?? ?? ¡¯????? ??????¡® ?????¡± (¡°Matn-i falsaf¨©-yi t¨¡z-h¨¡-yi az Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨©: Takmila-h¨¡-yi bar ¡®Fihrist-i taw?¨©f¨©-yi¡¯ Indriss¡¯¡±, Persian translation of 2012c, by I.M. Kh¨¡lkh¨¡l¨©), in ?yinah-i Pizh¨±hish 174 (1398), 97-111
2019a ¡°One aspect of the Avicennian turn in Sunn¨© theology¡± (reprint of 2004a), in M. Shah, ed., Islamic Theological Discourses and the Legacy of Kalam: Gestation, Movements and Controversies [Critical Surveys in Islamic Studies], Berlin: Gerlach, Vol. 2, 119-148
2018b. ¡°Onbirinci ve Onikinci As?r M¨¹sl¨¹man Do?uda Varl?k ve M?hiyet: Bir Taslak¡± (Turkish translation, by B. Ta?k?n, of ¡°Essence and existence in the Islamic East (Mashriq) in the 11th and 12th centuries CE: A sketch¡±), Kader 16/2 (2018), 504-524 |
2018a. ¡°On the emergence of Maragha Avicennism¡±, Oriens 46/3-4 (2018), 263-331 |
2017c.? A Safavid Anthology of Classical Arabic Philosophy. Facsimile Edition of MS Madrasah-i Marv¨© 19 (ed.), Markaz-i D¨¡?irat al-ma?¨¡rif-i buzurg-i isl¨¡m¨© -- Intish¨¡r¨¡t-i kit¨¡b-i rayz¨¡n (Tehran)/McGill Institute of Islamic Studies (Montreal) [Intellectual Heritage of Islamic Civilization Series/????? ????? ???? ???? ??????]
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2017b. ¡°Ya?y¨¡ Ibn ?Ad¨© on a °ì²¹±ô¨¡³¾ argument for creation¡± (with P. Adamson), Oxford Studies in Medieval Philosophy 5 (2017), 213-239?|
2017a. ¡°Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨© and Ibr¨¡h¨©m ibn ?Ad¨© on whether body is a substance or a quantity: Text, translation and commentary¡± (with S. Menn), Arabic Sciences and Philosophy 27/1 (2017), 1-74|
2016d.? Medieval Textual Cultures: Agents of Transmission, Translation and Transformation (ed., with F. Wallis), Berlin: De Gruyter [Judaism, Christianity, and Islam¡ªTension, Transmission, Transformation Series]
2016c.? ¡°Introduction: Agents of transmission, translation and transformation¡± (with F. Wallis), in Medieval Textual Cultures: Agents of Transmission, Translation and Transformation (ed., with F. Wallis), Berlin: De Gruyter [Judaism, Christianity, and Islam¡ªTension, Transmission, Transformation Series], 1-11 |
2016b.? ¡°MS Tehran - Madrasa-yi Marw¨© 19: An 11th/17th-century codex of classical falsafah, including ¡®lost¡¯ works by Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨© (d. 363/974)¡±, Journal of Islamic Manuscripts 7/1 (2016), 89-122 |
2016a.? ¡°??????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ????¡± (Arabic translation of 2000, by A. Shihadeh), in R. Rashed, ed., Bayna al-falsafah wa-al-riy¨¡?iyy¨¡t: min Ibn S¨©n¨¡ il¨¡ Kam¨¡l al-D¨©n al-F¨¡ris¨©. Silsilat Dir¨¡s¨¡t t¨¡r¨©khiyyah f¨© al-falsafah wa-al-?ul¨±m fi al-?a?¨¡rah al-arabiyyah al-isl¨¡miyyah 3, Beirut: Centre for Arab Unity Studies/al-Taf¨¡hum (2016), 101-150
2015.? ¡°A newly discovered Ya?y¨¡ b. ?Ad¨© treatise against atomism¡± (with D. Bennett), in D. Janos, ed., Ideas in Motion: Philosophical and Theological Exchanges between Christians and Muslims in Baghdad and Beyond in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries C.E., Leiden: Brill (2015), 298-311 |
2014a. "Towards a genealogy of Avicennism", Oriens 42/2-4 (2014), 323-363 |
2013e. ¡°?????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????¡± (Persian translation, by ?. ?A?¨¡?¨© Na?ar¨©, of ¡°One aspect of the Avicennian turn in Sunn¨© theology¡±), Kit¨¡b-i m¨¡h-i d¨©n 179 (1391 sh./2013), 84-103 |
2013d.¡°Avicennism and exegetical practice in the early commentaries on the ±õ²õ³ó¨¡°ù¨¡³Ù¡±, Oriens 41/2-4 (2013), 349-378 |
2013c. ¡°Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨© on the location of God¡± (with P. Adamson), Oxford Studies in Medieval Philosophy 1 (2013), 205-228 |
2013b. ¡°Avicenna¡¯s Islamic reception¡±, in P. Adamson, ed., Interpreting Avicenna: Critical Essays, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2013), 190-213 |
2013a. ¡°Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨©¡¯s discussion of the prolegomena to the study of a philosophical text¡±, in M. Cook et al., eds, Law and Tradition in Classical Islamic Thought, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan (2013), 187-202 |
2012e. ¡°Sparse descriptor for lexicon reduction in handwritten Arabic documents¡± (with Y. Chherawala* and M. Cheriet), Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR 2012), 3729-3732
2012d. ¡°A prototype system for handwritten sub-word recognition: Toward Arabic-manuscript transliteration¡± (with R. Farrahi Moghaddam*, M. Cheriet and T. Milo), Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information Sciences, Signal Processing and their Applications (2012), 1198-1204 |
2012c. ¡°Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨©¡¯s Essay on the Four Scientific Questions regarding the Three Categories of Existence: Divine, Natural and Logical. Editio princeps and translation¡± (with S. Menn), M¨¦langes de l¡¯Institut dominicain d¡¯¨¦tudes orientales du Caire (MIDEO) 29 (2012), 73-96 |
2012b. ¡°New texts of Ya?y¨¡ Ibn ?Ad¨©: A supplement to Endress¡¯ ¡®Analytical Inventory¡¯¡±, in D. Reisman and F. Opwis, eds, Islamic Philosophy, Science, Culture, and Religion: Studies in Honor of Dimitri Gutas, Leiden: Brill (2012), 307-326 |
2012a. ¡°Indirect evidence for establishing the text of the ³§³ó¾±´Ú¨¡?¡±, Oriens 40/2-3 (2012), 257-273 |
2011e. ¡°TSV-LR: Topological signature vector-based lexicon reduction for fast recognition of pre-modern Arabic sub-words¡±? (with Y. Chherawala* and M. Cheriet), Proceedings of the 2011 Workshop on Historical Document Imaging and Processing, New York: Association for Computing Machinery (2011), 6-13 |
2011d. ¡°Essence and existence in the Islamic East (Mashriq) in the 11th and 12th centuries CE: A sketch¡±, in A. Bertolacci and D. Hasse, eds, The Arabic, Hebrew and Latin Reception of Avicenna¡¯s Metaphysics, Berlin: De Gruyter (2011), 27-50 |
2011c. ¡°Towards a natural-history model of philosophical change: Greek into Arabic, Arabic into Latin, and Arabic into Arabic¡±, in R. Wisnovsky, F. Wallis, J. Fumo and C. Fraenkel, eds, Vehicles of Transmission. Translation and Transformation in Medieval Textual Culture, Turnhout: Brepols (Cursor Mundi: Viator Studies of the Medieval and Early Modern World, Vol. IV) (2012), 143-157 |
2011b. ¡°Introduction: Vehicles of transmission, translation and transformation in medieval textual culture¡± (with F. Wallis, J. Fumo and C. Fraenkel), in R. Wisnovsky, F. Wallis, J. Fumo and C. Fraenkel, eds, Vehicles of Transmission, Translation and Transformation in Medieval Textual Culture, Turnhout: Brepols (Cursor Mundi: Viator Studies of the Medieval and Early Modern World, Vol. IV) (2012), 1-22 |
2011a. Vehicles of Transmission, Translation and Transformation in Medieval Textual Culture (ed., with F. Wallis, J. Fumo and C. Fraenkel), Turnhout: Brepols? (2012) [= Cursor Mundi: Viator Studies of the Medieval and Early Modern World, Vol. IV] [x + 433 pp.]
Reviews:
8) Mediaevistik 26/1 (2015)
7) Tijdschrift voor Filosofie 76/3 (2014)
6) Al-Mas¨¡q (2014)
5) The Medieval Review 2014-10 (2014)
4) Medieval Encounters 19/5 (2013)
3) Francia-Recensio (2013)
2) Comitatus: A Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies 44/1 (2013)
1) Bulletin critique des Annales islamologiques 28 (2012)
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2010e. ¡°?i¨© Kel¨¡mda Ekber¨© D?n¨¹?¨¹m¨¹n Bir Y?n¨¹¡± (Turkish translation, by E. Alkan, of ¡°One aspect of the Akbarian turn in Sh¨©?¨© theology¡±), Tasavvuf 26 (2010), 237-252 |
2010d. ???????? ??? ???? (Persian Translation, by M. Najafi Afra, of Avicenna¡¯s Metaphysics in Context), Tehran: ¡®Ilm (2010)
2010c. ?bn S¨©n¨¡ Metafisi?i (Turkish translation, by I.H. Ucer, of Avicenna¡¯s Metaphysics in Context), Istanbul: Kure Yayinlari (2010)
2010b. ¡°IBN SINA: A database for research on processing and understanding of Arabic manuscripts images¡± (with R. Farrahi Moghaddam*, M. Cheriet, M. Adankon, and K. Filonenko), Proceedings of the 9th IAPR International Workshop on Document Analysis Systems, New York: Association for Computing Machinery (2010), 11-17 |
2010a.? ¡°Arabic logicians on perfect and imperfect syllogisms: A supplement to Patzig¡¯s ¡®Historical Excursus¡¯¡±, in T. Langermann, ed., Avicenna and his Legacy: A Golden Age of Science and Philosophy, Turnhout: Brepols (2010), 257-273 |
2009c. ¡°Jowzj¨¡ni, Abu ?Obayd¡±, in E. Yar-Shater, ed., Encyclopedia Iranica, Vol. 15, New York: Encyclopedia Iranica Foundation (2009), 82-84 |
2009b. ¡°Fakhr al-d¨©n al-R¨¡z¨©¡¯s Commentary on the Metaphysics of Avicenna¡¯s Kit¨¡b al-ish¨¡r¨¡t wa al-tanb¨©h¨¡t¡± (trans.), in S.H. Nasr and M. Amin Razavi, eds, An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, Vol. 3: Philosophical Theology in the Middle Ages, London: I.B. Tauris (2009), 189-202
2009a. ¡°Philosophy and Theology (Islam)¡±, in R. Pasnau, ed., The Cambridge History of Medieval Philosophy, Vol. 2, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2009), 698-706 |
2007b. ¡°?bn S¨©n¨¡ ve ?bn S¨©n¨¡c? Gelenek¡± (Turkish translation, by M. C¨¹neyt Kaya, of ¡°Avicenna and the Avicennian tradition¡±) in ?slam Felsefesine Giri?, Istanbul: K¨¹re Yayinlari (2007), 103-149 |
2007a. ¡°One aspect of the Akbarian turn in Sh¨©?¨© theology¡±, in A. Shehadeh, ed., Sufism and Theology, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (2007), 49-62 |
2006b. ¡°?bn Sina¡¯n?n ?ey¡¯iyye Kavram? ?zerine Notlar¡± (Turkish translation, by A. Meral, of ¡°Notes on Avicenna¡¯s concept of thingness (²õ³ó²¹²â¡¯¾±²â²â²¹)¡±),? Marmara ?niversitesi ?l?hiyat Fak¨¹ltesi Dergisi 26/1 (2004), Istanbul: Marmara Universitesi Ilahiyat Fak¨¹ltesi (2006), 85-118 |
2006a. ¡°S¨¹nn¨© Kel¨¡mda ?bn S¨©n¨¡c? D?n¨¹?¨¹m¨¹n Bir Y?n¨¹¡± (Turkish translation, by A. Meral, of ¡°One aspect of the Avicennian turn in Sunn¨© theology¡±), Marmara ?niversitesi ?l¨¡hiyat Fak¨¹ltesi Dergisi 26/2, Istanbul: Marmara Universitesi Ilahiyat Fak¨¹ltesi (2006), 149-177
2005. ¡°Avicenna and the Avicennian tradition¡±, in P. Adamson and R. Taylor, eds, The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy, Cambridge: Cambridge U.P. (2005), 92-136 |
2004d. Review of A. Alami, L¡¯ontologie modale: ?tude de la th¨¦orie des modes d¡¯Ab¨± H¨¡shim al-Jubb¨¡?¨©, in Archives de Philosophie 67 (2004), 513-514
2004c. ¡°Alexander of Aphrodisias: Excerpts from the Arabic versions of On the Principles of the Universe and Essay on the Differentia¡± (trans.), in R. Sorabji, ed., The Ancient Commentators on Aristotle: A Source Book, London: Duckworth (2004)
2004b. ¡°One aspect of the Avicennian turn in Sunn¨© theology¡±, Arabic Sciences and Philosophy 14/1 (2004), 65-100 |
2004a. ¡°The nature and scope of Arabic philosophical commentary in post-classical (ca. 1100-1900 AD) Islamic intellectual history: Some preliminary observations¡±, Bulletin of the Institute Of Classical Studies (University of London) 47 (2004), 149-191 (Special Issue 83/2: Philosophy, Science and Exegesis in Greek, Arabic and Latin Commentaries, edd. P. Adamson, H. Baltussen and M.W.F. Stone) |
2003b. ¡°Towards a history of Avicenna¡¯s distinction between immanent and transcendent causes¡±, in D. Reisman, ed., Before and After Avicenna, Leiden: E.J. Brill (2003), 49-68 |
2003a.? Avicenna¡¯s Metaphysics in Context, London: Duckworth / Ithaca, NY: Cornell U.P. (2003) [xii + 305 pp.] |
Reviews:
17) Journal of [the Japanese Society of] Medieval Philosophy (¡ºÖÐÊÀ˼ÏëÑо¿¡») 55 (2013)
16) Sakarya ?niversitesi ?l¨¡hiyat Fak¨¹ltesi Dergisi 14/25 (2012) [Turkish translation]
15) ?sl¨¡m Ara?t?rmalar? Dergisi 19 (2009)
14) Recherches de th¨¦ologie et philosophie m¨¦di¨¦vales 75/1 (2008)
13) Journal of Near Eastern Studies 67/2 (2008)
12) Archives de philosophie 70/3 (2007)
11) International Journal of the Classical Tradition 13/1 (2006)
10) Archiv f¨¹r Geschichte der Philosophie 88/1 (2006)
9) Journal of Islamic Philosophy 2/1 (2006)
8) Speculum 81/2 (2006)
7) Journal of the History of Philosophy 43/1 (2005)
6) The Thomist 69/2 (2005)
5) Journal of Islamic Studies 16/1 (2005)
4) Ars Disputandi 5 (2005)
3) Historia Philosophica: International Journal 3 (2005)
2) Journal of the American Oriental Society 124/2 (2004)
1) The Classical Review 54/2 (2004)
2002c. Review of Y. Michot, ed. and trans., Ibn S¨©n¨¡: Lettre au vizir Ab¨± Sa?d, in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 12/3 (2002), 363-366
2002b. ¡°Heavenly Book¡±, Encyclopaedia of the Qur¡¯?n, Vol. 2, Leiden: E.J. Brill (2002), 412-414 |
2002a. ¡°Final and efficient causality in Avicenna¡¯s cosmology and theology¡±, Quaestio: The Yearbook of the History of Metaphysics 2 (2002), 97-123 |
2001b. ¡°Ya?y¨¡ al-Na?w¨© (John Philoponus)¡±, Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Vol. 11, Leiden: E.J. Brill (2001), 251-253 |
2001a. Aspects of Avicenna (ed.), Princeton: Markus Wiener (2001) [= Princeton Papers, Vol. 9] [xiv + 182 pp.] |
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Reviews:
2) The Middle East Journal 56/4 (2002)
1) Middle East Studies Association Bulletin 39 (2005)
2000. ¡°Notes on Avicenna¡¯s concept of thingness (shay?iyya)¡±, Arabic Sciences and Philosophy 10/2 (Sept. 2000), 181-221 |
1998. Review of S. Inati, Ibn Sina and Mysticism, in Harvard Middle Eastern and Islamic Review (1998)
1996. Review of P. Lettinck, Aristotle¡¯s Physics & Its Reception in the Arabic World, in Classical Review 45/2 (1996), 288-289
Courses and Supervision
Undergraduate Teaching
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McGill (2004-present):
6) ARLE 102 (Arts Legacy: The Medieval Islamic and Christian Worlds ¨C with Prof. F. Wallis, Dept. of History, McGill)Harvard (1996-2004):
5) ISLA 200 (Islamic Civilization)
4) ISLA 380 (Islamic Philosophy and Theology)
3) ISLA 523 (Higher Intermediate Arabic: Classical Arabic)
2) ISLAMIC CIVILIZATIONS 145 (Islamic Philosophy and Theology)
1) ARABIC 130a and 130b (Advanced Classical Arabic)
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Graduate Teaching
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McGill (2004-present):
ISLA 602 (Islamic Philosophy and Theology); ISLA 769 (Special Seminar); ISLA 770 (Islamic Logic); ISLA 777 (Islamic Philosophy); ISLA 788 (Special Topics in Islamic Thought); ISLA 789 (Special Seminar).
Topics include:
Harvard (1996-2004):32) ¡°Rhetoric: From Aristotelian °ì³ó²¹?¨¡²ú²¹³ó to Arabic-Islamic ²ú²¹±ô¨¡²µ³ó²¹³ó¡± (2023 Winter)
31) ¡°Philosophy, theology and logic in Egypt during the long 19th century¡± (2022 Fall)
30) ¡°The life and thought of al-Ghaz¨¡l¨©¡± (2021 Fall)
29) ¡°The School of Bahrain: Im¨¡m¨©-Sh¨©?¨© Thought in the 7th/13th Century¡± (2021 Winter)
28) ¡°Daw¨¡n¨©¡¯s philosophy and theology¡± (2020 Fall)
27) ¡°The reception of Avicenna¡¯s metaphysics in post-classical Islamic intellectual history¡± (2019 Fall) ¨C with Prof. S. Menn
26) ¡°Philosophical thought, jurisprudence and Sufism during the Safavid period¡± (Fall 2018) ¨C with Prof. R. Abisaab
25) ¡°Avicenna¡¯s modal syllogistic and its reception¡± (Winter 2017) ¨C with Prof. S. Menn
24) ¡°Mu?ammad ?Abduh¡¯s philosophy and theology¡± (Winter 2016)
23) ¡°?¨±s¨©¡¯s Tajr¨©d al-?²¹±ç¨¡?¾±»å and Q¨±shj¨©¡¯s commentary¡± (Winter 2015) ¨C with Prof. J. Ragep
22) ¡°The philosophy of Ab¨± l-Barak¨¡t al-Baghd¨¡d¨©¡± (Winter 2014) ¨C with Prof. S. Menn
21) ¡°Al-F¨¡r¨¡b¨©¡¯s philosophy of music¡± (Fall 2013) ¨C with Prof. A. Laywine
20) ¡°Avicenna¡¯s ±õ²õ³ó¨¡°ù¨¡³Ù and its commentary tradition¡± (Winter 2013)
19) ¡°Basran and Baghdadi Mu¡®tazilism¡± ¨C with Prof. S. Menn (Winter 2012)
18) ¡°Suhraward¨© and Ishr¨¡q¨© philosophy¡± ¨C with Dr R. Pourjavady (Fall 2009)
17) ¡°Modal syllogistic¡± (Winter 2009)
16) ¡°Ibn ¡®Arab¨© and Akbarian metaphysics¡± (Fall 2008)
15) ¡°Philosophy of language and ?ilm al-wa??¡± (Winter 2008)
14) ¡°Dialectic and ¨¡d¨¡b al-ba?th¡± (Winter 2007)
13) ¡°Creeds (?²¹±ç¨¡?¾±»å) and credal commentaries¡± (Winter 2005)
12) ¡°Philosophy of Ibn S¨©n¨¡¡± (Winter 2005)
ARABIC 249r (Arabic Philosophical Texts); ARABIC 250r (Arabic Theological Texts).
Topics include:
11) ¡°Twelver Sh¨©?ism¡± (Spring 2003)
10) ¡°Assertoric syllogistic¡± (Fall 2002)
9) ¡°Ethics¡± (Winter 2002)
8) ¡°?anbalism and Wahh¨¡bism¡± (Fall 2001)
7) ¡°M¨¡tur¨©dism¡± (Fall 2000)
6) ¡°Special metaphysics and theology¡± (Winter 2000)
5) ¡°General metaphysics and ontology¡± (Winter 1999)
4) ¡°Psychology and epistemology¡± (Winter 1998)
3) ¡°Ash?arism¡± (Fall 1997)
2) ¡°Natural philosophy¡± (Winter 1997)
1) ¡°Mu?tazilism and Neo-Mu?tazilism¡± (Fall 1996)
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Graduate Supervision
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Doctoral level:
I am the supervisor or co-supervisor of nine current Ph.D. students, who are working on different aspects of the history of Islamic thought. I have also supervised or co-supervised 21 Ph.D. dissertations to completion, on the following topics:
2022b? ?The Reception of Ptolemy¡¯s Latitude Theory in Islamic Astronomy (McGill: IIS) (co-supervisor: R. Morrison)
2022a? ?The Composition and Transmission of Avicenna¡¯s al-Naj¨¡t, Il¨¡hiyy¨¡t and al-Mabda? wa-al-Ma?¨¡d: Critical Edition (McGill: IIS)
2018b? ?Intellectual Life in the ?ij¨¡z in the 17th Century: The Works and Thought of Ibr¨¡h¨©m al-K¨±r¨¡n¨© (1025-1101/1616-1690)
2018a?? The Metaphysics of Conserving Causation in Avicenna (supervisor: S. Menn)
2015???? Ma?m¨±d ibn Mu?ammad ibn ?Umar al-Jaghm¨©n¨©¡¯s al-Mulakhkha? f¨© al-hay?a al-bas¨©?a: An Edition, Translation, and Study (co-supervisor: F. Wallis)
2014b?? Avicenna (d. 1037), Logical Theory, and the Aristotelian Tradition
2014a?? Reason, Revelation and the Reconstruction of Rationality: Taq¨© al-D¨©n Ibn Taymiyya¡¯s Dar? Ta?¨¡ru? al-?Aql wa-l-Naql (supervisor: W. Hallaq)
2013???? Freeing Philosophy from Metaphysics: Fakhr al-D¨©n al-R¨¡z¨©¡¯s Philosophical Approach to the Study of Natural Phenomena
2012c?? Islamic Thought and Revivalism in the Russian Empire: An Intellectual Biography of Ab¨± Na?r Q¨±rs¨¡w¨© (1776-1812)
2012b?? Intellect, Substance and Motion in al-F¨¡r¨¡b¨©¡¯s Cosmology (co-supervisor: J. Ragep)
2012a?? The Dialectical Forge: Proto-system Juridical Disputation in the Kit¨¡b ikhtil¨¡f al-?Ir¨¡qiyy¨©n (supervisor: W. Hallaq)
2010b?? The Authority of Poetry: Meaning, Philosophy and the Islamic Textual Tradition (supervisor: P. Buckley)
2010a?? Politics and Cosmology in al-F¨¡r¨¡b¨© and St Augustine (supervisor: E. Ormsby)
2009b?? Isma?il al-Faruqi (1921-1986) and Interfaith Dialogue
2009a?? The Ethical Evaluation of Brain-dead Persons and Organ Transplantation in Contemporary Muslim Ethics (co-supervisor: A. Snedden)
2008???? The Mystical Teachings of Mu?ammad ?Abd al-Kar¨©m al-Samm¨¡n, an 18th-century Sufi
2006???? Ethics of War in Islamic Thought
2005???? The Doctrine of Imamate in Twelver Shi?ism: Traditional, Theological, Philosophical and Mystical Perspectives
2002b?? Al-F¨¡r¨¡b¨© and the Starting-point of Philosophy: A Study of the Kit¨¡b al-jadal (Book of Dialectic)
2002a?? Creation: A Comparative Study between Avicenna¡¯s and Aquinas¡¯ Positions
2000???? At the Threshold of Philosophy: A Study of al-F¨¡r¨¡b¨©¡¯s Introductory Works on Logic?
Masters level:
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I am the supervisor of one current MA student, who is working on the history of Islamic thought. I have also supervised nine MA theses to completion, on the following topics:
2021? ? ? Ya?y¨¡ ibn ?Ad¨© on Divine Foreknowledge and the Status of Future Contingents (McGill IIS)
2015????? Pure Generosity, Divine Providence, and the Perfection of the Soul in the Philosophy of Ibn S¨©n¨¡
2014????? Fakhr al-D¨©n al-R¨¡z¨© on the Soul: A Study of Chapter 5 of Section 2 of Book II of al-Mab¨¡?ith al-Mashriqiyya
2011????? Two Ottoman Intellectuals on the Issue of God¡¯s Knowledge: Khw¨¡ja-z¨¡deh and ?Al¨¡ al-d¨©n al-?¨±s¨©
2007????? Ka?b al-A?b¨¡r and the Isr¨¡?¨©liyy¨¡t in the Tafs¨©r Literature
2007????? Reading Sabzaw¨¡r¨©¡¯s Commentary on R¨±m¨©¡¯s Mathnaw¨©: A Philosophical Approach
2007????? Ahmad Zarr¨±q and the Ash?arite School
2006????? Power Discourse and Heresy in al-Andalus: The Case of Ibn Masarra
2005????? An Ontological Inquiry in Early Qur?¨¡n Commentaries
