Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan’s story
This story has been related in a book by the name of “Ascent in solitude” the story of Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan and a brief about “Absäl and Salämän. This book includes the Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan’s story, the work of Ibn Tufail, Avicenna and Shahäb Al-din Suhrawardi. The publication condition: Tehran, Qom publishers, 2007A.D. (1386A.H.): 206pages. The story of Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan is one of the most mellifluous and profound philosophical stories in Islam world. The name of Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan has been always a familiar name for researchers and scholars, from the time ####of Avicenna. Ibn Tufail has written the first story. Of course, the writing of this story also has been attributed to the Suhrawardi, but has not been left any sign of it. Jämi, the famous poet also somehow turned this story into poetry. Maybe, Ayatollah Säheb Al-Fusul has written the last and the most complete of this story in Arabic and translated it in Persian. In addition of the Holy books which they have explained the duty of prophetic mission of prophets in a best way, in finding and continual passing of reality path, also the righteous men have always tried during the centuries and periods, to prove the inherent aspect of innate monotheism in human soul. One of these works by educated men and God-seekers of history, isThe Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan’s book, which with presenting this story, have explained the monotheism aspect in human soul in the form of example (allegory). Hayy IBn Yaqdhan means “the alert son- alive” which the Late Foruzän Far has translated it” the alert alive”. Avicenna has not related any story; but presupposed the Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan as a guided man who reached his goal, has posed many questions and has quoted many answers by the word of Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan. Before the Ibn Tufail write the Hayty Ibn Yaqdhan’s Story and mention the Salämän and A’bsäl’s, Avicenna has written a treatise by the name of Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan and has pointed to the Salämän and Absäl’s story in the book of “Al-Ishärät and Al-Tanbihät” (Remarks and Admonitions). There is no relation between Avicenna’s word with Ibn Tufail(‘s word), except from the viewpoint of word sharing and treatise Name. Ibn Tufail Andalusi nearly has related the story completely. He has related the mental evolution of a baby who fictionally has left in a lone island and without any contact with human. He enumerate the bodily and metal development due to the watching the around of nature. During the history, many Islamic and non-Islamic, Iranian and non-Iranian writers and researchers have written many explanations on the book of Hayy IBn Yaqdhan and each one them have seen and expressed their opinion about it by their viewpoint. But this reality which the Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan’s story is in fact the story of each human who pass from the lowest point of power, up to the complete actuality, is not hidden for the rationalist and possessors of Divine secrets. In fact, the Man who have seen this story like this, and have found themselves by it, could find out the high value of this rare writing and by this way, could correct their direction in each stage.
The author brief biography:
Abu Ali Hussein, the son of Abdullah Ibn Sina, famous to Ibn Sina, also called Sharaf Al-Molk and Sheikh Al-Ra’is, is the philosopher, physician, poet, mathematician and Iranian astronomer, the most famous Islamic scientist and one of the great scholars that have been lived in the world. He was born in a city of Bukhärä’s environs in 981A.D.(370A.H.). In Bukhärä which that time was the Samanids’ capital, he leaned the logic, medicine and mathematics. Due to his great talent and intelligence, very soon could gain scientific fame in different cases. In the age of 17 years, he cured Nooh Ibn Mansoor Sämäni and this task caused to be famous. Therefore he entered to the royal library. He himself says: the books that I saw there, nobody even heard their names. I read them and profited by use of them. When I got 18 years old, I graduated. Although Ibn Sina was great philosopher but besides, he was a very busy doctor, had perfect political influence and as a minister, served to his supporter princes. He wrote “The Canon of Medicne” book, in 1013 A.D. (403A.H.). During his life, which coincided with Ghaznavids rule, he travelled to different cities and did different services, till after Shams Al-Doale’s Daylami’s death, his successor by the name of “Samä Al-Doleh” imprisoned him for a month but Abu Ali Sina, after releasing, went to Isfahan and had the respects of people of Isfahan. He instructed and wrote there. In fact, he spent in Isfahan the last fourteen years of his fruitful life and finally in a journey with Alä’ Al-Dolleh to Hamadan, he died at the age of fifty eight in 1037A.D.(428A.H.).
The book structure:
1- preface
2- the Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan’s story
3- the Ibn Tufail’s text
4- the Avicenna’s text
5- the Suhrawardi’s text
Sources :
Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan’s story by Avicenna