Abstract

The metaphysical system of Avicenna wasstrongly influenced by Neoplatonic and Aristotelian ideas. In workssuch as the Dānish Nāma-i and in the Kitāb al- Shifā ,amongst others, Avicenna often speaks in an Aristotelian parlanceabout the interdependence of matter and form focusing particularlyon the nature of prime and proximate matter; he also discloses aNeoplatonic understanding of the nature of evil which he examinesboth in ontological and moral terms.The following article surveys Avicenna’s view of matter and evil andexplores how the philosopher employs Quranic hermeneutics in orderto show that his positions on the above concepts are rooted in theQuranic source. The focus is placed on the exegesis of Qurān41:11-12 and 113: Avicenna interprets these verses in a way whichallows him to demonstrate that questions mainly influenced by theAristotelian and Neoplatonic thought - such as the notion of ‘isyānal-mādda and the ontological nature ofevil – are clearly ‘Islamic’ concepts, found in the source of IslamicRevelation, and perfectly reconcilable with ‘orthodox’ dictates. Thisarticle highlights how Avicenna attempts to achieve this goal bysetting his discourse within one of the most discussed topics inclassical Islamic thought: the issue of divine decree and destiny