MS London, British Library Or. 3126: An Unknown Work by al-Ghaz
l
on Metaphysics and Philosophical Theology
Yale University
MS London, British Library Or. 3126 is a sizeable book of 284 folios. Its title page identifies it as a copy of Maq
sid al-falsifa, and it has subsequently been catalogued as such. Yet the full description of the manuscript in the British Library catalogue mentions that it cannot be identified with Maqsid al-falsifa or any other work by al-Ghazl
(d. 505/1111). A close look at the MS confirms its unique character. It is a compilation and adaptation of extracts from various works by philosophical authors including Ibn Sn, al-Frb, and Miskawayh. According to its author, the book's subject matter is the report of the Muslim philosophers' (falsifa) teachings on metaphysics (m ba
da l-taba) and philosophical theology (ilhiyyat).
This article presents the content of the book preserved in the MS and tries to determine its purpose and authorship. In a single reference at the end of the MS, its author refers to al-Ghazl's Tahfut al-falsifa as one of his own works. While this claim is treated with caution, several features of the text suggest that it covers those topics that we know were al-Ghazl's areas of interest. In order to decide its authorship, the article compares a passage in the MS with one in Miyr al-ilm, a work known to be by al-Ghazl. A close comparison of the language and structure of the passages shows that their authors made very similar decisions on how to present philosophical teachings, leaving little doubt that both were authored by al-Ghazl.
MS London Or. 3126 is the unique copy of a book written by al-Ghazali during or shortly after his work on Tahfut al-falsifa. It provides evidence for the extensiveness of his knowledge of philosophical literature and the profundity of his discussion with it. Moreover, it is an important document for a crucial moment in Muslim theology, namely the beginning of the application of Avicennan metaphysics within the Ash‘ari school.